When will the largest hospital in Ho Chi Minh City be operational?

After the merger, Binh Duong General Hospital is the largest hospital in Ho Chi Minh City with an area of ​​16 hectares and 1,500 beds, breaking the record of the City Children's Hospital (over 10 hectares, 1,000 beds).

Construction began in 2014, but after more than 10 years, the 1,500-bed general hospital is still "late" and cannot be put into operation on schedule - Photo: TRI DUC

Construction began in 2014, but after more than 10 years, the 1,500-bed general hospital is still "late" and cannot be put into operation on schedule, affecting people's medical examination and treatment.

After 10 years, the hospital is still unfinished

Present at the construction site of the 1,500-bed Binh Duong General Hospital, Tuoi Tre noted that the project is still under "dripping" construction, not yet put into operation. Meanwhile, only about 500m away as the crow flies, the existing Binh Duong General Hospital is always overloaded, with doctors and patients crowded together.

Mr. Ngo Loc, 70 years old, residing in Thu Dau Mot ward, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Phu Cuong ward, Binh Duong province), said that due to his old age, he often has to go to the hospital for medical examination and medicine.

"Every time I go to the existing provincial general hospital, I am unhappy because it is both old and overloaded, while the new high-rise hospital has not been operational for many years, even though people have been waiting for it," said Mr. Loc.

A doctor working at the existing Binh Duong General Hospital is also worried about the hospital's deterioration because it was built a long time ago and many departments have difficulty ensuring infection control.

Pointing to the cardiology department, he said that many other departments have also seriously degraded, not just the cardiology department. Both doctors and patients hope that the hospital will soon be relocated to the new facility, the 1,500-bed Binh Duong General Hospital, so that they can feel secure in examining and treating patients.

According to records, after more than 10 years of implementing the new Binh Duong General Hospital project, while surrounding items such as roads, resettlement areas, and some other projects have been completed, the hospital is still sluggish. Although the main hospital building has been topped out for a long time, without machinery and equipment, this hospital is still "closed" and not yet in operation.

Many areas of Binh Duong General Hospital cluster are overgrown with weeds from outside the fence to along the walkways... - Photo: TRI DUC

4,500 billion VND hanging over slow projects

Faced with the current state of the old and degraded Binh Duong General Hospital, in 2014 the old Binh Duong province started construction of a 1,500-bed, 19-story hospital.

According to Tuoi Tre's research, by 2025, projects belonging to the 1,500-bed Binh Duong General Hospital cluster will be approved with a total investment of more than VND4,500 billion, including seven component projects invested by the Binh Duong Construction Investment Project Management Board (six projects) and the Binh Duong Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board as investors.
(a project).

However, after more than 10 years, this project has not been put into use because the construction of the component projects is slow and not completed synchronously, limiting the people's opportunities for medical examination and treatment. The latest report from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said that by the end of September 2025, out of the total of seven component projects, only two projects have been completed, two projects are under construction and three projects have not been implemented.

With two projects, the wastewater treatment plant and the overall technical infrastructure, although completed, cannot be put into use because they cannot be synchronously connected with the remaining projects. It is expected that after the 1,500-bed general hospital projects, equipment, central technical block and funeral home are synchronously implemented, the investor will coordinate with the construction unit until December 2025 to complete synchronously in the overall project cluster.

With two projects currently under construction, including: 100% completed foundation construction; 79% completed supply and installation of technical systems; 50% completed installation of medical gas system equipment. With the central technical block project and funeral home under construction, the progress is 32%. Expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026.

The remaining three projects that have not been implemented include the 1,500-bed general hospital equipment project; the parking lot, park, tree and wastewater treatment plant fence project; the education and training block - dormitory block for students and patients' relatives.

Patients and doctors look forward to Binh Duong General Hospital coming into operation soon - Photo: TRI DUC

Why is the project progress slow?

According to Tuoi Tre sources, in June 2025, the People's Committee of Binh Duong province (old) concluded an inspection of the implementation of the project belonging to the 1,500-bed general hospital cluster. This is a large, key project that is closely directed to be put into use soon. However, during the implementation process, the project encountered many obstacles such as the COVID-19 pandemic, large-scale projects, and complex technical requirements.

The inspection shows that 5/5 projects are behind schedule and have to be extended many times (central technical block and funeral home, wastewater treatment plant for hospitals, overall technical infrastructure, medical equipment, etc.). These are all projects with complex components, requiring high expertise, technique and synchronization.

The inspection conclusion said that the 1,500-bed general hospital cluster was divided into seven component projects but lacked a comprehensive plan to evaluate suitable investment options. As a result, the component projects had to wait for connection and connection of different items and equipment, affecting the project's progress.

Each component project is carried out by a different design consultancy unit, leading to additional procedures, prolonging time, making it difficult to ensure synchronization and connection between component projects, affecting project progress, and requiring longer implementation time compared to the plan.

Will be operational in 2026?

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has proposed that the Binh Duong Construction Investment Project Management Board speed up the progress of putting the 1,500-bed Binh Duong General Hospital project into operation in 2026.

In addition, the Binh Duong Construction Investment Project Management Board proactively coordinated with Binh Duong General Hospital to quickly complete all documents so that the Department of Health could promptly carry out the next steps according to current procedures, regulations and instructions.

At the same time, it is also recommended that the City remove difficulties in investment, capital, and organization of the Binh Duong Construction Investment Project Management Board to speed up the progress of the 1,500-bed hospital.

Binh Duong General Hospital is implementing the plan to move the hospital to a new facility and preparing sufficient operating personnel. Actively and proactively coordinate with project management boards to speed up the project's progress.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/benh-vien-lon-nhat-tp-hcm-khi-nao-hoat-dong-20251103224722351.htm