Healthcare in Con Dao Special Zone is thriving.

Instead of having to travel by boat to the mainland for treatment of serious illnesses, residents of Con Dao Special Zone (Ho Chi Minh City) will now receive care and treatment right on the island with modern medical equipment and leading specialists.

Overview of the Con Dao Military-Civilian Medical Center - Photo: CHAU TUAN

As of July 1st, the Con Dao Military-Civilian Medical Center has officially been placed under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health.

Mr. Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, affirmed that the city's health sector is building a comprehensive healthcare system for the Con Dao Special Zone with a clear determination to serve the people after the merger: "no one will be left behind - even in the most remote areas."

People are waiting.

In late July, as reported by Tuoi Tre newspaper, many residents of the Con Dao Special Zone could not hide their joy when leading medical specialists from Ho Chi Minh City came to visit, examine, and provide free medicine.

From early morning, hundreds of people, especially the elderly, lined up for examinations at the Con Dao Special Zone Military-Civilian Medical Center. The atmosphere was lively, with many people having access to specialized medical services for the first time right in their "homeland".

The center's interior is equipped with an advanced diagnostic imaging system, fully equipped functional rooms, and a spacious, clean environment.

The medical team consisted of 30 young doctors and specialists from various major hospitals in the city, participating in a charitable program organized by the Young Doctors' Association with the spirit of "using expertise for volunteering, using expertise to serve the community." The team covered specialties such as dentistry, ophthalmology, obstetrics, and rehabilitation, along with ultrasound, laboratory, and electrocardiogram equipment.
modern.

Mr. Nguyen Tam, 61 years old, a resident of the Con Dao Special Economic Zone, shared: "Previously, people were very worried when they got sick. On the island, it wasn't always possible to transfer patients to the hospital because it depended on ships."

"Now that we see the newly built, spacious medical center with modern equipment and doctors from the city providing support, we are very happy. We only hope that in the future, more skilled doctors will stay here long-term, and more specialties will be added so that people won't have to transfer to hospitals on the mainland, saving money and giving them more peace of mind."

Previously, in April 2025, the Con Dao Military-Civilian Medical Center (a combination of the Con Dao District Medical Center and the Con Dao District Military Clinic) was inaugurated with a capacity of 60 beds and a total investment of over 247 billion VND, of which 75 billion VND was allocated to medical equipment.
modern.

Speaking to Tuổi Trẻ newspaper, Dr. Lê Công Thọ, director of the Côn Đảo Military-Civilian Medical Center, said that they are currently coordinating with relevant units to move all equipment from the old facility to the new medical examination and treatment area. The new facility will officially open in August.
work.

On average, the center receives and treats over 25,000 outpatients annually, performs 200-300 surgeries, and 3,000 procedures. Patients are primarily local residents, fishermen, officials, soldiers, and visitors.
tourism ...

Previously, the center primarily provided general medical services to the public, with some specialized departments, but they were not evenly distributed and lacked personnel. This caused great anxiety among the local population when illnesses struck, as well as tourists.

Developing healthcare in Con Dao Special Zone to a level commensurate with its potential.

Following the merger, Ho Chi Minh City's health sector has adopted the motto: "After the merger, the city's health sector will not only expand geographically but also in terms of service spirit, bringing quality treatment to even the most remote islands."

Mr. Thuong stated that over the years, the center has been newly built and equipped with fairly modern facilities. However, the biggest challenge remains the lack of qualified medical personnel. Emergency care, childbirth, dialysis, and maritime accidents – issues unique to the island – are a persistent concern for the local people, tourists, and investors alike.

Immediately after the merger, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, along with leading experts in the city's healthcare sector, continuously held numerous meetings to address the healthcare challenges facing the people. To date, the entire sector has outlined a roadmap for sustainably improving the capacity of the Con Dao healthcare system.

Accordingly, the city will quickly increase the rotation of specialist doctors to the Con Dao special zone, develop an emergency and resuscitation system, deploy telemedicine, apply artificial intelligence in reading the results of diagnostic imaging equipment, and manage the health of the entire population using electronic health records.
Con Dao Island.

"The young doctors arrived at the Con Dao Medical Station on July 14th, and it is expected that the specialists will arrive at the Con Dao Special Zone Military-Civilian Medical Center this August," Mr. Thuong shared.
Youth.

According to the head of the city's health sector, during this period, priority will be given to developing safe and local obstetrics with full teams for obstetrics, anesthesia and resuscitation, and neonatal resuscitation, reducing reliance on costly and risky transfers by train or helicopter.

Simultaneously, the city's health department will strengthen its capacity in trauma, internal medicine, and pediatrics to meet the common medical care needs in Con Dao, such as maritime accidents, tourist accidents, and emergency care for children and the elderly. In addition, the city's health department will prioritize establishing a local blood bank to ensure safe emergency care in obstetrics, surgery, and other critical situations.

And in the not-too-distant future, the medical center will become a multi-specialty hospital of appropriate scale, including specialized departments, a laboratory system, diagnostic imaging, inpatient and outpatient treatment, and an emergency coordination center connected to the mainland.

Although not yet officially operational, the Con Dao Military-Civilian Medical Center has been bustling in recent days as it organized a free medical examination and medication distribution program with doctors from Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: CHAU TUAN

Continue upgrading the healthcare and education systems in the Con Dao Special Economic Zone.

Working with the Con Dao Special Economic Zone on the afternoon of July 25th, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc emphasized that Con Dao is a "clean, pristine, peaceful, and safe" land, where the happiness index of its people is rated highest in the country.

"The people of Con Dao live a peaceful life, not overly worried about security or theft. They can even fall asleep with their doors unlocked without fear of losing anything. This is something very special that not every place has."

According to him, this is the foundation for Ho Chi Minh City to orient its development of Con Dao into a livable special zone, where nature conservation and historical values ​​are harmoniously combined with modern and environmentally friendly infrastructure.

In addition, Ho Chi Minh City will continue to invest in upgrading infrastructure, ports, airports, and healthcare and education systems to better serve the lives of residents and tourists. "We want to develop Con Dao in a green direction, defining its identity and making it a livable island with a long-term vision extending to 2030 and 2050," Mr. Duoc emphasized.

Prepare the workforce.

Speaking with Tuoi Tre newspaper, leaders of tertiary hospitals such as Hung Vuong Hospital, Oncology Hospital, and People's Hospital 115 said they are ready with human and material resources to support Con Dao's healthcare system when assigned by the Department of Health.

Ms. Hoang Thi Diem Tuyet, director of Hung Vuong Hospital, noted that previously, healthcare in Con Dao had many limitations, forcing residents to travel to the mainland for examinations and treatment. This caused psychological pressure on patients and was financially burdensome, especially for pregnant women in their seventh month who had to travel to the mainland to prepare for childbirth.

"This is a major concern, and Hung Vuong Hospital will strive to support Con Dao in improving its obstetrics and gynecology capabilities in the near future. We will provide professional support to doctors and medical staff in Con Dao, develop procedures for obstetric emergencies, establish a blood bank, and train doctors and midwives...", Ms. Tuyet said.

According to Ms. Tuyet, in order for Con Dao's healthcare system to become an increasingly solid support for the people, more policies are needed to attract and retain resources for the Con Dao Special Economic Zone.

Similarly, Mr. Diep Bao Tuan - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital and Mr. Tran Van Song - Director of People's Hospital 115 - also stated that their hospitals have prepared plans to support the healthcare system in the Con Dao Special Zone, such as organizing regular specialized medical check-ups and treatments using advanced techniques for residents living in Con Dao, and conducting remote consultations.

"We have assigned doctors and medical staff on a rotational basis to support the Con Dao Military-Civilian Medical Center. This is an important task and also a responsibility of the tertiary hospitals towards the people of Con Dao."

"The hospital will provide support in internal medicine, surgery, and diagnostic imaging, with the hope that together with other hospitals, it will help the healthcare system in Con Dao develop further, especially in improving the capacity to provide timely emergency care for critically ill patients," said Dr. Song.

THU HIEN - CHAU TUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/y-te-dac-khu-con-dao-khoi-sac-20250729231551301.htm