Việt Nam sở hữu những “đặc sản y tế” khó tìm thấy ở quốc gia khác

On August 26, at NovaWorld Phan Thiet (Lam Dong province), the Ministry of Health coordinated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to organize a national conference on medical tourism associated with sustainable development.

Medical tourism - Vietnam's "gold mine"

Opening the conference, Prof. Dr. Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, Chairman of the National Medical Council, affirmed that medical tourism is not only a trend, but also one of the strategic orientations of the Party and State, both caring for people's health and opening up a driving force for sustainable economic growth.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan speaks at the conference

In the context of globalization, medical tourism is booming with a global market size of 100 billion USD by 2024, growing from 15-25% per year. Vietnam has also made its mark by reaching about 700 million USD in 2024 and is forecast to reach nearly 4 billion USD by 2033.

“The growth figures are proof of the huge room for development, where Vietnam can completely become a reliable destination for international tourists,” said Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan.

Vietnam's advantages are not only in reasonable costs, but also in professional quality and cultural identity. From organ transplant techniques, cardiovascular interventions, fetal interventions - which are evaluated at the regional level, to a long-standing treasure trove of traditional medicine, Vietnam possesses "medical specialties" that are difficult to find in other countries. In addition, Vietnam possesses a coastline of more than 3,000km, diverse landscapes, and friendly people, becoming ideal supporting factors to turn the treatment process into an experiential journey.

Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) Ha Van Sieu, informed that tourism is an activity that contributes to health regeneration, physical and mental improvement for people. Vietnam is currently among the countries that welcome the highest number of international visitors in the world, possessing many advantages for developing medical tourism with unique landscapes and cultures.

Reduce foreign currency "bleeding"

According to Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan, developing medical tourism is not a single idea, but has been clearly identified by the Party and Government in many documents: the 2017 Tourism Law; Resolution No. 08 of the Politburo; National Strategy on People's Health to 2030, vision 2045 and Official Dispatch 34 of the Prime Minister on promoting double-digit economic growth.

Healthcare for foreigners at Hong Ngoc Hospital

On that basis, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism are jointly implementing the Medical Tourism Development Project for the period 2025-2030, with the goal of turning Vietnam into a leading healthcare center in the region.

The project emphasizes the following pillars: Improving the quality of medical services according to international standards, building hospitals and centers that are capable of receiving international visitors; Completing the legal framework, including a medical visa mechanism, flexible public-private partnership policies, and building a national brand; Promoting medical diplomacy, calling for international cooperation in human resource training, technology transfer, and building a comprehensive ecosystem.

"In particular, the development of a parallel service model, serving both international guests and meeting the needs of domestic people, reducing the "foreign currency bleeding" when patients have to go abroad for treatment", according to the Medical Tourism Development Project for the period 2025-2030.

Strengths in traditional medicine

At the conference, Dr. Ha Anh Duc, Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management (Ministry of Health), emphasized the role of traditional medicine in the medical tourism development strategy. According to Dr. Ha Anh Duc, Vietnam and China are two countries with a long-standing traditional medicine, with advantages from traditional medicine, acupuncture, and non-drug therapy. This is the "mark" for Vietnam to make a difference on the medical tourism map.

Screenshot 2025-08-26 121932.png — Vietnam has the best medical staff in the region.

In addition, Dr. Ha Anh Duc analyzed: “We now have dozens of hospitals that meet JCI international standards, a private hospital system with modern facilities, along with investment in upgrading public hospitals. These create a solid foundation for developing medical services combined with tourism.”

Vietnam's Aspiration on the Medical Tourism Map

At the conference, delegates from many leading hospitals across the country discussed and highlighted challenges and solutions to develop medical tourism in the coming time.

In particular, Vietnam needs to complete the electronic health record database, connect with international partners; build specialized service packages - from IVF, organ transplants, robotic surgery to spa treatments - herbal therapy.

“Developing medical tourism is not only an economic opportunity, but also a social responsibility. We need to create products that even Vietnamese people can access, not just for international visitors,” Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan emphasized.

Delegates also pointed out that, in order to attract international patients, in addition to expertise, Vietnamese doctors need to improve their foreign language skills, becoming a "bridge" to help tourists feel secure and close.

The conference is also a commitment of the Ministry of Health to work with ministries, branches, localities and businesses to overcome difficulties, improve policies and improve the quality of medical tourism services. Thereby, it is expected that in the future, Vietnam will not only be a resort tourism destination, but also a "trusted health companion" of friends around the world.

VICTORY

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/viet-nam-so-huu-nhung-dac-san-y-te-kho-tim-thay-o-quoc-gia-khac-post810218.html