Ho Chi Minh City becomes a regional medical center: can't race, must steer to surpass

In its strategy to become the leading medical center in the region, Ho Chi Minh City needs to focus on developing key specialties to create its own mark, instead of spreading out.

The team of doctors from Tu Du and Children's Hospital 1 (HCMC) successfully performed cardiac intervention on a fetus - Photo: Provided by Tu Du Hospital

At the end of May 2025, Tu Du Hospital and Children's Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City successfully performed a heart bypass surgery on the fetus of a pregnant woman sent from Singapore.

It was a technical success that even Singapore had not achieved. What was even more impressive was that afterwards, doctors from the neighboring country came to consult on how to do it. This event opened up a new perspective on the strategy to turn Ho Chi Minh City into a regional medical center.

Identify the path

To develop services and become a regional medical center, Ho Chi Minh City is implementing a number of prominent strategies, such as investing in facilities, reforming institutions, restructuring the healthcare system, implementing the hospital-school model, applying high technology to healthcare, and organizing medical tourism ...

Those ways of doing things may be new in our country, but compared to other countries, there is nothing different enough to create a breakthrough.

These investments, the cities of Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok... have done and are doing. If we just try our best to compete, in 10-15 years, we will run out of breath and will not be able to be in the top group. Because if we run, they will run too. And we are not sure to run faster.

Instead of spreading investment, focus on investing in key areas. The heart bypass surgery for the fetus of a pregnant woman sent from Singapore is a suggestion.

If we choose the specialties that are the city’s strengths to develop into spearheads, it will be more effective than spreading out all the specialties. For example, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, acupuncture anesthesia for surgery, non-drug therapy for chronic diseases, etc.

Not only choose to specialize but also be able to individualize. Be determined to cure a chronic disease from the root. Because of this, medicine in other countries is still at a standstill. This is the way for Ho Chi Minh City to create its own strengths.

At the hospital (general) level, a unit can participate in the city’s overall strategy by focusing on developing the treatment of just one chronic disease. For example, hospital A focuses on treating essential hypertension; hospital B focuses on treating diabetes; hospital C focuses on treating asthma, etc.

All aim for a complete and comprehensive treatment, not just stopping at symptom control. We must go to the end, instead of wandering around in the cycle of "if - it - happens - then - it - happens".

Promote international communication and brand building

Synchronously build a communication strategy to tell international friends about success stories in solving difficult problems.

Stories such as high-tech medical interventions that save patients’ lives; pioneering techniques that other countries come to learn; drug-free treatment models for chronic diseases… can all become strategic communication materials. This not only attracts patients, but also opens up opportunities for investment, cooperation, and elevates Ho Chi Minh City’s healthcare sector on the international map.

When it becomes the first place to successfully build a model of treating chronic diseases without using drugs, combining Eastern and Western medicine in theory, integrating East - West - mind - spirit in a systematic way... then it will be a unique "medical school", an identity that is difficult for any place to copy and the city may not need to compete with Bangkok or Singapore in terms of hospital scale or medical budget.

Together "Contribute to the development of industry and trade in Ho Chi Minh City"

Tuoi Tre Newspaper in coordination with the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City opened a forum "Providing advice for developing industry and trade in Ho Chi Minh City".

To listen to ideas and solutions from businesses, researchers and people to build and develop industry and trade for the new Ho Chi Minh City, forming a strong urban area in industry - trade - services, with international competitiveness.

Mr. Bui Ta Hoang Vu - Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City - said that he respects and listens to every opinion and suggestion from people and businesses to advise the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on breakthrough solutions to develop industry - trade - services.

Readers participating in the forum can send information to the editorial office of Tuoi Tre newspaper (60A Hoang Van Thu, Duc Nhuan ward, Ho Chi Minh City) or email: kinhte@tuoitre.com.vn.

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MSc. DOCTOR VO ANH TUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tp-hcm-thanh-trung-tam-y-te-khu-vuc-khong-the-dua-phai-be-lai-de-vuot-20250830184300671.htm