Vietnam hoped to become healthcare destination
Thanks to significant achievements in medicine, increasing quality, and reasonable costs of medical examination and treatment services, Vietnam's healthcare establishments have attracted more and more foreign patients, including those from developed countries such as the US and Canada.
Hospitals in Vietnam have successfully treated foreign patients for many times.
Recently, a Cambodian underwent a spine endoscopy surgery at Duc Giang General Hospital, and 24 hours after surgery, the patient was able to move independently without absolutely no pain.
In early December, doctors at Saint Paul General Hospital in Hanoi successfully treated a 4-year-old Australian girl diagnosed with a common bile duct cyst. The patient was treated after a single-hole laparoscopic surgery through the navel, which only Vietnam and China routinely perform.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the Department for Medical Examination and Treatment under the Ministry of Health (MoH), has noted that in recent years, the development of medical techniques has attracted many overseas Vietnamese to come back to the country for medical treatment. Several major hospitals in Vietnam have recently attracted a significant number of foreign patients for medical check-ups and treatments.
Vietnamese doctors have attained high professional qualifications through systematic training and succeeded in mastering many high-level treatment techniques such as using robotics, endoscopic surgery, and organ transplant.
One of the strengths of the domestic healthcare system is its lower costs compared to those in other countries with the same quality, he added.
Khue, however, noted that Vietnamese people still spend US$2 billion on medical treatment abroad each year.
The MoH has set a goal to retain domestic affluent patients and attract half a million foreigners working in Vietnam to use local healthcare services rather than seeking medical treatment in other regional countries or returning to their home countries for treatment.
In the national health system development plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision towards 2050, the ministry proposed to upgrade five special-grade hospitals to modern hospitals with healthcare services meeting international standards.
The proposal aims to reduce the number of Vietnamese people going abroad for treatment, as well as to attract foreign patients to Vietnam.
By 2030, the rates of central- and provincial-level hospitals with high-quality international treatment areas are hoped to reach 95% and 80%, respectively. Meanwhile, the rate of foreigners using healthcare services in Vietnam is expected to grow by at least 1% per year.
