System overview
Vietnam runs a tiered public system from commune health stations up to national tertiary hospitals (Bach Mai and Viet Duc in Hanoi, Cho Ray in Ho Chi Minh City). Vietnamese citizens with state insurance heavily use public hospitals, which are often crowded. English is limited and inpatient comfort is basic [1,2]. Most Western relocators use the private and "international" tier, which has expanded rapidly. Four hospitals in Vietnam currently hold full JCI accreditation, all in the Vinmec network and at FV Hospital [3].
Hospitals to know
Hanoi
- Vinmec Times City International Hospital. JCI accredited since 2015, the first general hospital in Vietnam to achieve it. Broad specialities including cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, and a dedicated international patient department [4].
- Family Medical Practice Hanoi (Van Phuc Compound). Western-managed GP and outpatient centre widely used by the expat community for primary care, vaccinations and referrals [5].
Ho Chi Minh City
- FV Hospital, District 7. The first JCI-accredited hospital in southern Vietnam. Strong oncology, cardiology, orthopaedics and obstetrics; French and English speaking [6].
- Vinmec Central Park International Hospital, Binh Thanh. JCI accredited, full general and specialist services [7].
- Family Medical Practice HCMC (District 1, District 2, District 7). Outpatient and 24/7 emergency clinic network [5].
Routine care and chronic disease management
Same-week appointments are normal at FV, Vinmec and Family Medical Practice. Senior clinicians at JCI-accredited hospitals are typically Vietnamese trained in Europe, the US or Australia, or expatriates. For chronic conditions common in older relocators:
- Antihypertensives (amlodipine, losartan, telmisartan, perindopril, bisoprolol), statins (atorvastatin, rosuvastatin), metformin, gliclazide, sitagliptin and insulins are stocked; both originator and generic forms exist [6,4].
- Newer agents (SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists) are available in major cities but at full retail price.
- Bring a clear written medical summary and at least 30 days of medication when arriving, plus copies of recent ECGs, imaging and lab results.
Pharmacy and personal medication
Pharmacies are common in major cities. You can buy many drugs without prescription, though Vietnam is tightening enforcement of antibiotic stewardship. Strict rules apply to drugs classified as "addictive" or "psychotropic", which include benzodiazepines, opioids, stimulants and certain sleep and anxiety medications. The personal-import limit for these controlled medicines is generally seven days unless you carry a prescription and a doctor's letter justifying a larger supply [8,1]. Use originals, not photocopies.
Vaccinations
CDC recommends long-term residents be current on routine vaccines plus hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid. Get the Japanese encephalitis vaccine if staying a month or longer. JE is endemic throughout Vietnam, with transmission May to October in the north and year round in the south [9,10]. Consider rabies pre-exposure vaccination for long-term stays, especially outside Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. You need a yellow fever certificate only if arriving from a transmission country.
Endemic infectious risks
- Dengue is endemic throughout Vietnam, a year-round risk that peaks during the rainy season. Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta consistently report the highest case loads [9].
- Japanese encephalitis: see above. Vaccination is the only practical prevention.
- Malaria risk is low and confined to remote forested and hilly areas, mostly along the Cambodian and Laotian borders and in the central highlands; Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and coastal cities are not risk zones [9].
- Rabies is present; treat any animal bite or scratch as urgent and present at FV, Vinmec or Family Medical Practice for post-exposure prophylaxis.
Water and food
Tap water in Vietnam is not safe to drink, and ice from tap water is also unsafe. Use sealed bottled water, boiled water or a high-grade filter; restaurant ice in reputable establishments is industrially produced and generally safe [8,9].
Air quality
Hanoi experiences severe PM2.5 episodes in winter (roughly November to March), driven by regional biomass burning, traffic and stagnant inversion conditions; daily averages well above WHO guideline values are routine. Ho Chi Minh City has more uniform but still elevated pollution year round. Anyone with cardiovascular or respiratory disease should run indoor HEPA filtration and wear N95-equivalent masks on red-AQI days [2].
Insurance
- Vietnam Social Security (BHXH and BHYT) is open to legally employed foreigners; coverage is tied to public hospitals.
- Domestic private insurers (Bao Viet, Bao Minh, PVI, Liberty) offer plans with direct billing at FV and Vinmec.
- International insurers commonly used in Vietnam include Cigna Global, AXA Global Healthcare, Allianz Care, William Russell, Aetna International and IMG. Compare on chronic-condition cover, annual cap, outpatient limits, geographic scope and renewal terms after age 65. Pre-existing exclusions are common; full underwriting at sign-up is the safer route for older applicants.
Emergencies
Emergency numbers are 115 for ambulance, 113 for police and 114 for fire. Public ambulance response times in urban Vietnam can be slow; in practice expats usually call the on-duty line at FV, Vinmec or Family Medical Practice and use a private ambulance, or simply take a taxi to A&E if mobility permits [8]. For very serious cases (major trauma, complex cardiac, neuro), regional medevac to Singapore or Bangkok is sometimes used; international insurance with evacuation cover is the standard hedge.
This page is not medical advice. Consult a qualified clinician.