Five special-grade hospitals to be upgraded to international standards

Five special-grade hospitals in Vietnam will be upgraded to modern hospitals with healthcare services meeting international standards under a proposal by the Ministry of Health (MoH).
Five special-grade hospitals to be upgraded to international standards ảnh 1The Ministry of Health has proposed that five special-grade hospitals will be upgraded to modern hospitals with healthcare services in line with international standards. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Five special-grade hospitals in Vietnam willbe upgraded to modern hospitals with healthcare services meeting internationalstandards under a proposal by the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Theproposal is included in the national health system development plan for the2021-2030 period, with a vision towards 2050, aiming to reduce the number ofVietnamese people going abroad for treatment, as well as to attract foreignersto come to Vietnam for medical examination and treatment. 

Accordingto Associate Professor, Dr Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the ministry’s MedicalExamination and Treatment Department, Vietnamese doctors have succeeded inmastering many high-level treatment techniques such as dental procedures, invitro fertilisation (IVF), stroke treatment, liver, kidney, and hearttransplantations, joint treatment, endoscopic surgery, eye surgery, anddiagnostic techniques.

"The development of medical techniques has attracted many overseasVietnamese to come back to the country for treatment. Several major hospitalsin Vietnam have recently attracted a significant number of foreign patients formedical check-ups and treatment," he said.

He saidone of the strengths of the domestic healthcare system is its lower costscompared to other countries while maintaining a comparable quality.

The MoHalso proposed upgrading and investing in 20 provincial general and specialisedhospitals to be able to receive patients from the entire region, especially inareas with difficulties in accessing central-level hospitals and denselypopulated areas.

In thedevelopment plan, the MoH also outlined the direction for the development ofnon-public healthcare sectors, focusing on providing high-quality technicalservices, on-demand medical examinations and treatment, encouragingpublic-private partnerships, and private investments. 

It aimsto expand the bed capacity of private hospitals to reach 10% of the totalnational bed capacity by 2025, 15% by 2030, and 25% by 2050. By 2025,the country is expected to provide 35 hospital beds, 15 doctors, 3.4university-trained pharmacists, and 25 nurses per 10,000 residents. 

Thesenumbers are expected to increase to 35 hospital beds, 19 doctors, fouruniversity-trained pharmacists, and 33 nurses per 10,000 people by 2030. 

It isanticipated that there will be around 45 hospital beds, 35 doctors, 4.5university-trained pharmacists, and 90 nurses per 10,000 people by 2050.

Thereport from the planning consulting unit showed that the accessibility to central-levelhospitals in some regions is very low.

In theCentral Highlands region, there are no central-level hospitals, while in theMekong Delta region, with 14 provinces, there is only one central-levelhospital. 

Additionally,approximately 80% of patients who seek medical check-ups and treatment atcentral-level hospitals do not trust the quality of healthcare servicesprovided at lower-level facilities.

Currently,only 32.8% of health centres and district hospitals and 27.6% of commune healthstations can perform 80% of the list of technical services./.
VNA

See more

Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyen Viet Nhung, Dean of Medicine at University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University (VNU) Hanoi, speaks online on Vietnam’s digital transformation strategy in medical education. (Photo: VNA)

Forum spotlights AI and digital innovation in healthcare

To achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2045, Vietnam is prioritising the integration of AI and digital tools into the training of future doctors, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung, Dean of Medicine at University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University (VNU) Hanoi.

PM Pham Minh Chinh (second from right) visits the Karolinska Institutet. (Photo: VNA)

PM seeks stronger medical ties with Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet

The PM called for closer, broader, and more effective cooperation with Vietnamese partners, guided by the principles of mutual benefit, joint efforts, shared outcomes, and common development, including promoting stronger public-private partnerships and collaboration with businesses.

D.F (left), a US patient, at a follow-up examination with Do Lenh Hung, head of the department of urethral reconstructive surgery. (Photo: VNA)

High-quality healthcare services attract more foreign patients to Binh Dan Hospital

Renowned for its expertise in complex surgeries, the hospital has attracted foreign patients seeking treatment for conditions such as kidney and urinary tract stones, urological and gastrointestinal cancers, and male reproductive disorders. Most procedures are performed using advanced techniques, including laparoscopy and robotic surgery. T

A banner on the side of a car urges people to quit smoking for their own health and that of their loved ones (Photo: VNA)

Sharp tobacco tax hike urged to safeguard youths, community health

A 2023 report by the Vietnam Health Economics Association estimated that the total cost of tobacco-related healthcare and economic losses reached 108 trillion VND (4.14 billion USD) annually – equivalent to 1.14% of GDP and five times higher than the budget revenue generated by the tobacco industry.

On the morning of May 26, 2025, following bilateral talks at the Presidential Palace, President Luong Cuong (first, right) and French President Emmanuel Macron (first, left) witness the exchange of cooperation documents between leaders of ministries, agencies, and enterprises from both countries. In the photo: Ngo Chi Dung, General Director and Chairman of the Board of Viet Nam Vaccine Company (VNVC) (second, right), and Zainab Sadat Qayyum, President of Sanofi Southeast Asia – India, exchange the cooperation agreement on the transfer of Sanofi’s vaccine production technology to VNVC’s vaccine and biologicals plant. (Photo: VNVC)

Vietnam, France collaborate in vaccine production technology transfer

Under the agreement, VNVC and Sanofi will gradually implement technology transfers to enable domestic production of several key Sanofi vaccines that are widely used in Vietnam. In addition, Sanofi will support VNVC in training human resources and quality management in vaccine research and manufacturing.