Ho Chi Minh City’s Tourism Department and Health Department have cooperated to develop medical tourism services (Photo: suckhoedoisong.vn/)

Nguyen Duc Minh Tri, Managing Director of South Asian Travel Company, said his company is working with dental clinics in Ho Chi Minh City to offer medical tours to overseas Vietnamese: “This is to our advantage because Vietnam’s dentistry is good and costs are low. First we provide free consultancy to customers. Foreigners visit the dentists every 6 months. I think tours combined with dentistry services will thrive.”

The city’s top hospitals have begun receiving foreigners and overseas Vietnamese patients. Last year, Cho Ray hospital received 1,200 patients, Medical University Hospital received 15,000, and the Odonto-Stomatology Hospital received 500. The Medical University Hospital has established an International Healthcare Center with professional staff and equipment.

Trinh Nguyen Hung Dung, Director of the Millennium Travel Company, called for specific plans to develop medical tours: “We should have modern facilities and leading professors and doctors. There should be results in medical treatment. For example, we have successfully carried out visceral implants. An outstanding physician can be an ambassador of medical tourism.”

Ho Chi Minh City’s Tourism Department and Health Department have cooperated to develop medical tourism services. Handbooks and maps of major hospitals and institutions have been published to help visitors locate their desired medical services. Deputy Director of the Tourism Department La Quoc Khanh said: “Travel agents should be more proactive. Hospitals should choose a good travel agent to jointly build a value chain of services.”

In Ho Chi Minh city, 11 hospitals have registered to provide medical tourism services so far.