The Việt Nam–Germany Friendship Hospital's second branch in Hà Nam during construction. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam–Germany Friendship Hospital has carefully prepared the core human resource framework for its second branch in Hà Nam, with staff ready to begin work as soon as the hospital officially starts operations at the end of this year.

Dr Dương Đức Hùng, Director of the hospital, said with the new branch designed to house 1,000 beds, the hospital would require around 2,000 medical staff to operate at full capacity. However, he noted that medical personnel have highly specialised roles that are directly linked to human lives.

Hùng said: “A doctor who completes medical school cannot immediately start working. They must undergo additional specialised training before they can practise. Even a qualified nurse who wishes to assist with anaesthesia must complete a further nine months of study.”

To ensure adequate staffing for the Hà Nam facility, Hùng said that six or seven years ago, previous hospital leaders, including Dr Nguyễn Tiến Quyết and Dr Trần Bình Giang, had already laid out a long-term plan for recruiting and training medical personnel for the new branch.

As a result, the most challenging aspect of human resources for the second branch has been prepared well in advance. The hospital has already selected more than 60 doctors in previous years. These doctors, currently working at the main hospital in Hà Nội, will form the core team at the Hà Nam branch and are fully ready to take on their new roles.

The hospital has also established its leadership structure for the new facility and developed detailed plans for further recruitment and systematic training.

Hùng said the hospital has reported to the Government its plan to put the Hà Nam branch into operation in phases. The reason, he explained, is that launching the full 1,000-bed capacity immediately would risk under-utilisation and waste of resources, as patient numbers may not meet capacity at the outset.

In the first phase, the Hà Nam branch will operate at about 30 per cent capacity with roughly 300 beds. This phase will follow a 'learning-by-doing' approach, ensuring that every step is firmly grounded in the realities of patient care and operational efficiency.

During this period, the hospital will continue to recruit and train additional personnel, gradually moving towards full-scale operations. A key priority in this phase is ensuring that the quality of care at the second branch matches that of the main hospital, so that people can access high-quality medical services locally while helping to ease the burden on the main facility.

Hùng also shared that the hospital is currently carrying out procurement for equipment and machinery for the second branch. The bidding process is being conducted to ensure compliance with regulations while prioritising suppliers who can deliver within the shortest possible timeframe. Progress reports are submitted weekly to the Ministry of Health.

The second branch of Việt Nam–Germany Friendship Hospital, along with the second branch of Bạch Mai Hospital, are two major investment projects in Hà Nam Province. Both projects are large in scale. The projects have drawn significant public attention and expectations.

However, due to various factors, both projects have been delayed for six to seven years. The prolonged suspension has led to a loss of approximately VNĐ80 billion (US$3.06 million) to the State budget. The two hospitals are now under directive to begin operations by the end of this year. — VNS