Several hospitals in southern cities and provinces have started conducting check-ups and treatments for seriously ill patients through the internet in a new pilot programme.

The project is carried out by the HCM City Department of Health, Department of Information and Communications and hospitals in southern cities and provinces.

Participating hospitals include Cu Chi General Hospital in HCM City , Gia Lai, Ben Tre, An Giang and Kien Giang general hospitals and Tu Du Obstetric Hospital, Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital and Peadiatric Hospital No.1 in HCM City .

Patients in provincial areas will receive guidance from doctors in the city hospitals via the internet.

It will help reduce costs for the patients, according to the Department of Health.

Nguyen Thanh Hung, deputy head of the City Peadiatric Hospital No 1, one of the city's hospitals piloting the project, said doctors in provincial hospitals would benefit by receiving the latest knowledge and methods to prevent and treat disease from doctors in city hospitals.

Le Truong Giang, the department's deputy head, said the hospitals had staff available 24 hours a day in order to help doctors in provincial hospitals.

In the north, this method of check-up and treatment has already been implemented at Bach Mai Hospital and the Viet Nam National Hospital of Peadiatrics.

They both help provincial hospitals treat patients who have serious and complicated conditions and they offer the latest treatment methods. /.