Việt Nam Emerges as Premier Destination for International Healthcare

Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: Increasing numbers of international patients are selecting Việt Nam for their healthcare needs, establishing the country as a prominent hub for specialized medical examination and treatment.

The National Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology, Việt Nam’s leading dermatological facility, has witnessed a notable rise in foreign patients. This trend includes Vietnamese expatriates returning for dermatological care. The extended wait times for dermatology appointments abroad and unsatisfactory outcomes from treatments elsewhere are key factors driving this shift.

A poignant example involves a five-year-old boy, raised in Japan, diagnosed with atopic dermatitis at four months old. Despite receiving treatment in Japan, his condition frequently recurred, leading to severe eczema and dry skin. Admitted to the National Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology’s Department of Skin Disease Treatment for Women and Children, he showed significant improvement after seven days of treatment, with no eczema lesions and reduced skin dryness upon discharge.

Dr. Nguyễn Doãn Tuấn of the Department of Skin Disease Treatment for Women and Children highlighted the growing influx of foreign patients as a testament to Việt Nam’s advanced healthcare system. “At the National Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology, we continuously update our medical knowledge and treatment techniques and enhance our facilities to provide top-tier medical care,” he stated.

Other prominent healthcare institutions, such as Central Military Hospital 108 and Bạch Mai Hospital, are also attracting international patients.

In one case, 23-year-old K.V.S. from Laos suffered severe burns to her upper digestive tract after ingesting cleaning chemicals. Despite multiple treatments in Vientiane, she could neither eat solid food nor drink water, causing her weight to plummet from 74 kg to 34 kg. Hospitalized at Bạch Mai Hospital in a state of severe malnutrition, she underwent an eight-hour surgery. Under the care of Associate Professor Trần Mạnh Hùng and his team, she began eating porridge on her own eight days post-operation.

Central Military Hospital 108 recently treated a 42-year-old foreign man who sustained urethral damage in a traffic accident. Following laparoscopic surgery to implant a self-expanding urethral stent, he recovered swiftly and praised the hospital’s excellent medical care and dedicated physicians.

The Ministry of Health estimates that approximately 300,000 international patients visit Việt Nam annually for medical examination and treatment. This aligns with the ministry’s 2020-2030 initiative to attract foreigners, overseas Vietnamese, and high-income locals to Việt Nam for high-quality healthcare services.

The superior quality of Việt Nam’s healthcare services, combined with significantly lower costs compared to international treatments, is a major draw. Vietnamese physicians are renowned for their expertise, on par with their counterparts in developed nations, further solidifying Việt Nam’s reputation as a global healthcare destination.