Vietnam Aims for $1 Billion in Medical Tourism by 2030

Vietnam wants to earn $1 billion from medical tourism by 2030. It also wants visitors to spend $2.5 billion on accommodation, food, and other services.

The Ministry of Health has a plan for medical tourism from 2026 to 2030. It is asking for public feedback on this plan.

The plan wants Vietnam to be a top place for medical tourism in Southeast Asia. It also wants to bring Vietnam closer to the best medical tourism places in Asia.

The plan includes many kinds of services like modern and traditional medicine, rehabilitation, and care for the elderly.

Medical tourism has been in Vietnam for years, but it has only become popular in the last decade.

Vietnam has a big healthcare system with 2,107 hospitals and over 339,000 beds. There are also 105,000 doctors.

There are 103 special hospitals, including 13 that offer very advanced medical services. These hospitals are mainly in Hanoi, Hue, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Some hospitals can do complex surgeries like robotic surgery and organ transplants. They can also treat cancer and do advanced eye, ear, and dental care.

About 300,000 foreigners use medical services in Vietnam each year. They spend around $1-2 billion, but this is not tracked separately.

Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are the main places for medical tourism. Ho Chi Minh City gets 40% of the international medical tourists.

Da Nang, Hue, and Khanh Hoa are developing services that combine healthcare and tourism.

Foreign visitors mainly come for dental care, cosmetic procedures, and general health checkups.

These visitors are from many countries, including Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, and several European countries.

A doctor is using a robot to treat a patient with cervical cancer.

The ministry thinks medical tourism has great potential, but it also faces some big problems.

One of the biggest problems is that there is no clear law covering medical tourism. The current rules are spread across many laws.

There are also no standards for hospitals that want to offer medical tourism services. There need to be rules for solving medical disputes and protecting patient data.

Vietnam is competing with other countries in the region like Thailand, Singapore, and Japan.

Vietnam has fewer hospitals that meet international standards than Thailand and Malaysia. It has 13 hospitals that meet these standards.

The support services for medical tourism are not well developed. The country also lacks integrated packages that combine medical care, accommodation, and tourism.

Healthcare workers need to improve their language skills and ability to work with foreign patients.

There is a lack of trained staff like medical tourism coordinators and medical interpreters.

Another problem is that not all hospitals can accept direct payment from international insurers.

This is a picture of intensive care equipment at a hospital in Vietnam.

Vietnamese people spend around $2-3 billion each year going abroad for medical treatment.

The strategy aims to attract foreign patients and improve domestic healthcare services.

The plan wants at least 20 hospitals to meet international quality standards by 2030.

It also wants to develop standard medical tourism packages that cover all aspects of treatment.

The goal is to have at least 90% of international medical tourists satisfied with the services.

By 2028, Vietnam will launch a national medical tourism portal and database.

A national brand identity for 'Vietnam Medical Tourism' will be developed.

The plan focuses on improving access to services, finance, quality management, and patient protection.

The authorities will work on visa arrangements for patients and their families.

The strategy also aims to promote partnerships and investment in medical tourism.

Experts think that Vietnam's medical tourism industry could earn $4 billion by 2033 with proper investment.

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