Vietnam’s public healthcare system only covers about 30% of the population. This means that many Vietnamese have to use private health care.

Hospitals in Vietnam

The quality and accessibility of health services differs considerably on whether you are in the city or in rural areas. The majority of hospitals and clinics are located in the larger cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Public hospitals in Vietnam are not the nicest of places due to a general lack of funding by the government in the health sector. Doctors and nurses tend to only speak Vietnamese so communication may be difficult.

However, private hospitals in Vietnam are a completely different story. With doctors and nurses usually speaking English and the quality of the hospital being much higher. This is usually the preferred place for travelers and expats alike.

Ambulance?

If you are in Vietnam and need to get to the hospital as quickly as possible an ambulance may not be the best idea. Ambulances can take a long time to arrive so it is recommended to try and get in a taxi and take yourself to a hospital as quickly as possible.

Changes to healthcare

Vietnam is aiming to improve its health care system to public system which covers all citizens. Following the trend of nearby Thailand, Vietnam hopes to be able to provide a public health care system in the not too distant future.

Individuals, however, will still be able to add on additional private healthcare should they wish to do so.

Ho Chi Minh City has a wide selection of different private and international hospitals on offer.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), basic health indicators are better than those of other developing countries in the region with similar per campita incomes. By 2013, there were more than 11,000 health communes, and 1,040 hospitals.

Although Vietnam’s health status has improved over the years, it has still a long way to go. Vietnam still has three problems to solve. First, more Vietnamese are diagnosed with some sort of chronic disease and increases the cost burden. Second, the big difference on quality and accessibility of health services between urban and rural continues to be a big problem. Last but not least, overcrowded hospitals. This a big issue due to long waiting lists for surgeries.

Health Issues

By taking some basic precautions, people who are traveling to Vietnam can minimize the chances of experiencing a visit to the hospital.

Drinking tap water in Vietnam is not recommendable, even having ice in the drinks at restaurants and bars. In this case it is better to buy bottled water.

Temperatures in Vietnam can soar so sunburn, sunstroke and dehydration are significant problems for new arrivals.

Common diseases are tuberculosis and malaria. It is recommended to have all basic vaccinations up-to-date.