Donald, a 67-year-old Canadian, felt healthy and had no urinary problems or obvious symptoms of prostate disease. During a routine health check in Canada, however, a blood test showed that his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level had risen to 20 ng/ml, well above the usual reference range of below 4 ng/ml.

To determine the cause, he registered for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan but was informed he would have to wait approximately six months. Recommended by friends, he decided to travel to Vietnam for examination and treatment.

At a hospital in HCMC, further tests confirmed that his PSA level remained high. MRI scans revealed a prostate tumor measuring approximately 2 cm. A biopsy subsequently confirmed that he had prostate cancer.

Without timely detection and treatment, the tumor could grow, causing difficulty urinating, urinary retention or invasion of nearby organs such as the bladder and rectum. If the cancer spread to the bones, the patient could experience persistent pain, fractures and even paralysis. Prolonged urinary tract obstruction could also impair kidney function. 

The Canadian patient finally decided to undergo a robotic surgery in Vietnam.

In addition to patients from developed countries, Vietnamese healthcare facilities are treating numerous complex medical cases from other countries in the region.

One such patient was N., a 39-year-old Laotian woman who had been paralyzed in both legs and had lost sensation from the chest downward for eight months after giving birth. Examinations revealed a tumor in her cervical spinal cord, spanning the C5-C7 vertebrae.

She underwent microsurgery to remove the tumor at the Department of Orthopedic Trauma and Spine Surgery at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi. About 48 hours after surgery, she began moving her legs. A week later, she was able to stand up on her own and practice walking again.

Another case involved N.L., a 42-year-old man living in Laos who had received an injection of an unknown substance to enlarge his genital area locally, subsequently suffering severe complications. Worried about his condition, he searched online for information and decided to travel to Hanoi for treatment. At Saint Paul General Hospital, doctors performed multiple surgeries to remove tissue damaged by necrosis caused by the injected substance.

Encouraging signs

According to Bach Mai Hospital, 3,871 visits by international patients were recorded for examination and treatment, including 2,721 outpatient visits, 65 day-treatment or specialized outpatient visits, and 1,078 inpatient admissions from January 1, 2024 to October 10, 2026.

The patients came from a wide range of countries. China accounted for 804 visits, Laos 659, Timor-Leste 264, South Korea 156, the Philippines 127, Thailand 120, Taiwan 101, Singapore 93, India 63 and Japan 53.

Beyond Asia, the hospital also treated patients from Europe, the Americas and Africa. The figures included 268 visits by German nationals, 107 by Americans, 79 by Russians, 62 by French nationals, 51 by Nigerians, 50 by South Africans and 49 by Australians.

To support international patients, the hospital assigns medical staff proficient in foreign languages to receive patients, communicate, assist with document translation, and provide treatment consultations. The Bach Mai Care application was introduced with features supporting four languages - Vietnamese, English, Chinese, and Japanese - making it more convenient for patients to register for appointments and access information.

According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam is asserting its position on the regional medical tourism map thanks to reasonable treatment costs, constantly improving expertise, modern technology, and patient service quality.

In Hanoi and HCMC, numerous hospitals, such as Hanoi Heart Hospital, K Hospital, Tu Du Hospital, Children’s Hospital 1, and Bach Mai Hospital, have advanced subspecialty techniques including robotic surgery, 3D printing for cardiac structure simulation, and minimally invasive interventions. These advancements help expand treatment capabilities for complex cases, including patients coming from abroad.

At the conference on  "Developing Traditional Medicine Pain Management Packages for Medical Tourism", organized by the HCMC Traditional Medicine Hospital on March 31, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vo Thi Ngoc Thuy cited a survey of over 700 international patients, revealing that the primary factors driving their choice of Vietnam are reasonable costs, high treatment quality, and rapid service access.

International visitors to HCMC hail predominantly from Australia, the US, South Korea, China, and ASEAN nations. Among them, overseas Vietnamese most frequently utilize cosmetic and dental services, whereas ASEAN tourists show greater interest in traditional medicine and general health maintenance.

Phuong Thuy