Why thousands of foreigners are choosing Vietnam for healthcare
According to the Ministry of Health, an estimated 300,000 foreigners travel to Vietnam annually for medical examinations and treatment.
In a recent case that gained regional attention, doctors from Children’s Hospital 1 and Tu Du Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City successfully performed a fetal cardiac catheterisation on a pregnant Singaporean patient.
The rare procedure demonstrated Vietnam’s capability in advanced medical interventions. Ho Chi Minh City alone accounts for over 40 percent of these visits.
Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan sent a commendation letter to the medical teams, stating that the success of the procedure strengthens Vietnam’s reputation in high-tech healthcare and fosters international trust.
Medical tourism in Vietnam has seen growing interest due to its relatively low treatment costs and skilled medical professionals.
In one instance, an Australian family living in Bali brought their four-year-old daughter to Saint Paul Hospital in Hanoi for minimally invasive bile duct cyst removal — a procedure successfully performed at only two centres globally.
The child recovered quickly with minimal scarring, and her family expressed high satisfaction with the outcome.
At Viet Duc University Hospital in Hanoi, a 30-year-old Vietnamese woman living in New Zealand underwent reconstructive surgery after three failed operations abroad.
The hospital has also treated patients from countries including Poland, Hungary, Japan, and the UK for complex colorectal and anal conditions.
Many foreign patients cite lower costs, competent doctors, and improving service quality as reasons for choosing Vietnam.
Major cities such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi host several hospitals that meet international standards. The rise in foreign patients has prompted hospitals to invest in infrastructure, staff training, and international cooperation.
