Compatibility of Vietnamese Law and International Law on The Right to Health Care for The Elderly

Population ageing has emerged as a structural demographic trend worldwide and is becoming increasingly pronounced in Viet Nam, leading to a substantial and sustained rise in the demand for health care services for older persons. Within this context, the right to health care of older persons should be recognised as a fundamental human right and an integral component of the broader right to health. This right entails corresponding obligations on the part of the State to ensure the availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality of healthcare services, while also underscoring the complementary roles of families and communities in providing care for the elderly. This article conducts a normative and comparative legal analysis of international human rights standards relating to the right to health, with particular emphasis on core human rights treaties and international instruments specifically addressing the rights of older persons. These international norms are systematically examined in relation to the existing Vietnamese legal framework governing health care for the elderly. Through this analysis, the article identifies both areas of convergence and normative gaps between international standards and domestic law. On this basis, the article proposes a set of legal and policy recommendations aimed at strengthening the protection of older persons’ right to healthcare in Vietnam in a sustainable and rights-based manner, in response to the challenges posed by population ageing.