With the number of premature babies increasing, Tu Du Obstetrics Hospital in HCM City wants the Health Insurance Fund to subsidise the care of such children aged between six months and two years.
Dr Huynh Thi Thu Thuy, the hospital\'s deputy chief, said a free programme it ran had provided medicine and treatment to premature and underweight babies for the last 14 years.
But it could no longer afford it because the number of underweight and premature children had increased in recent years, she said.
Since 1999 the average number had been 700 a year but in 2010 it increased to more than 1,000, she said.
If severely underweight premature babies were not treated before they are two, more than 90 percent would suffer from disabilities for the rest of their life or even die, she added.
Since 2007 the hospital has saved more than 300 babies weighing less than a kilogramme at birth under its programme.
Asso Prof Dr Ngo Minh Xuan, head of the hospital\'s infant ward, explained that most underweight and premature babies were from poor families who could not afford the treatment.
But the Vietnam Social Insurance Agency had agreed to fund the care of such children until they were six months old, he added.
Cao Van Sang, head of the HCM City branch of the agency, said all babies up to six months of age were entitled to free check-ups and treatment, and this included premature babies.
Nguyen Minh Thao, deputy head of the Vietnam Social Insurance Agency – which manages the Health Insurance Fund – said her agency was considering the hospital\'s demand and would seek the Government\'s guidance.
Le Van Kham, deputy head of the Ministry of Health\'s Health Insurance Department, said the ministry had been informed by the hospital about the cash crunch and would find a solution.