Analysis of radiotherapy technology infrastructure and human resources in Vietnam

Abstract

In this study, the authors synthesise and analyse the results of the 2019-2020 statistical survey on infrastructure and human resources of radiotherapy centers in Vietnam, thereby assessing the results of the detailed planning on the development and application of radiation in health to 2020, and at the same time assessing the actual radiotherapy utilisation rate of Vietnam. Statistical survey results were analysed to discuss geographic distribution and evaluate the characteristic ratios of PT/LINAC, PT/RO, PT/ROMP, PT/RTT of the radiotherapy centers in the application of LINAC radiotherapy technology. Research results show that although Vietnam has not met its planned target by 2020, it has obtained many achievements in developing a network of radiotherapy centers nationwide and investing in LINAC radiotherapy equipment reaching 0.73 LINAC/mil. people and the actual radiotherapy utilisation rate (ARUR) being 20% with application of advanced technologies such as IMRT, VMAT, IGRT, SRS, SBRT, simulation devices such as CT, MRI, PET/CT. The total number of radiotherapists, medical physicists, and technicians nationwide are 318, 151, and 356 people, respectively. Radiotherapy centers and specialists are highly concentrated in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city with 67% of LINAC machines, responding to 80% of patients receiving cancer treatment by LINAC annually. A model for forecasting radiotherapy demand has been proposed and applied to determine the expected number of LINAC machines, human resources needed for the period 2020-2040 to achieve the actual radiotherapy utilisation rate of 25-35% of new cancer cases annually. Accordingly, the number of LINAC machines needed by 2030 and 2040 will reach 1.1 LINAC/million people and 1.7 LINAC/million people. The demand for RO, ROMP, and RTT human resources is forecasted to increase at least by 12, 34, and 67% from 2021 to 2030, respectively, and 71% for all from 2031 to 2040.