HCM City aspires to become healthcare hub in ASEAN by 2030

An elderly woman has her blood drawn for testing at a hospital in HCM City, which aims to increase the life expectancy of its residents to 77 years by 2030, with a healthy lifespan of at least 68 years. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City plans to establish itself into a healthcare hub within the ASEAN region by 2030, with a focus on enhancing medical services and improving health.

The project, titled “Developing the HCM City Healthcare System into the ASEAN Healthcare Centre by 2030 and Beyond,” has been approved by the People’s Committee.

The project is expected to yield substantial socio-economic benefits, contributing to improvements in health, well-being, longevity, and overall quality of life for residents.

Under the initiative, the city aims to achieve a healthcare workforce density of 23 physicians and 40 nurses per 10,000 residents by 2030.

Key objectives include providing 42 hospital beds for every 10,000 individuals and maintaining a total fertility rate of 1.6.

Every resident will undergo an annual health assessment and disease screening, supported by the establishment of electronic health records for all individuals.

The initiative aims to enhance healthcare infrastructure through urban planning, establish quality training for medical personnel, create a specialised medical industrial park, and promote modern medical techniques.

It also seeks to build a comprehensive care network, boost medical tourism, and foster healthcare research and development.

The establishment of specialised medical centres is expected to make HCM City a leading destination for domestic and regional medical care.

In addition, the ASEAN healthcare centre will improve local healthcare capacity in the southern region, relieving pressure on tertiary hospitals and enhancing service quality.

Under the project, it aims to increase the life expectancy of its residents to 77 years by 2030, with a healthy lifespan of at least 68 years.

The total fertility rate is projected to stabilise at 1.6 children per woman of childbearing age.

A patient receives treatment at a hospital in HCM City. The nation’s largest city plans to become a central healthcare hub in the ASEAN region by 2030. — VNA/VNS Photo

Currently, the number of hospital beds per 10,000 residents in the city remains significantly lower than in several advanced countries worldwide.

A trend of residents opting for hospital treatment is causing overcrowding in tertiary hospitals, limiting their ability to develop specialised medical techniques.

The city is currently home to 131 hospitals, five bedless medical centres, 310 grassroots health facilities, over 8,000 private clinics, and more than 10,000 pharmaceutical enterprises.

The out-of-hospital emergency care system includes 115 Emergency Centres and 42 satellite stations.

The city currently lacks certain healthcare service models, such as advanced technology-based early disease screening centres and facilities dedicated to elder care.

The city has yet to fully cultivate its pharmaceutical and biomedical industries.

Efforts toward digital transformation, the application of artificial intelligence, and the implementation of electronic medical records are still constrained in certain healthcare facilities.

Despite ongoing efforts to enhance the healthcare system, the current provision of only 42 hospital beds per 10,000 inhabitants is considerably lower than that of countries such as Japan, which boasts 131 beds, Germany with 82, and South Korea with 71.

Several hospitals are experiencing significant deterioration and overcrowding, including the Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital, the Psychiatric Hospital, and the Tropical Diseases Hospital.

The integration of information technology and new technologies within healthcare facilities remains inconsistent and limited. — VNS