Ho Chi Minh City resumes medical tourism service

Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Tourism, recalled that the southern city had planned to develop medical tourism products in 2017, but the campaign was ultimately postponed until 2023 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Traditional medicine and acupuncture, as well as dental care, will be improved as part of efforts to make them Ho Chi Minh City’s main medical tourism products over the coming years, she noted.

So far, travel companies have introduced more than 30 tour packages combining health examinations, cosmetic dental treatment with sightseeing tours across the southern metropolis.

Dr. Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Health, shared that the city boasts 131 hospitals with highly-qualified medical doctors and reasonable costs for medical examination and treatment.

The main drivers of medical tourism development are highly qualified doctors, modern infrastructure, and advanced technology, as well as better-quality care, he analysed.

According to experts, the expenditure for medical treatment, including dentistry costs in Vietnam, is three to ten times lower than in other Asian countries, it’s an advantage for the country to develop medical tourism.

The HCM City Department of Tourism has worked with more than 50 units, including hospitals, spas, hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies, to develop medical tourism products.

Vietnam has emerged as a medical tourism destination over recent years with an annual turnover of US$2 billion.

In 2018 around 300,000 foreign patients visited hospitals in the country for medical checks and treatment, and 57,000 of them were admitted. Ho Chi Minh City accounted for 40% of the number of foreign patients.