Deputy Minister of Health Đỗ Xuân Tuyên speaks at the 2nd Việt Nam Private Healthcare Development Forum 2026, held in HCM City on August 20. — VNA/VNS Photos

HCM CITY — Việt Nam’s private healthcare sector must transition from rapid quantitative expansion to deep-tech capability, high clinical quality, and strong social responsibility, attendees heard at a two-day forum opened on August 20 in HCM City.

Government officials and sector leaders urged the shift at the 2nd Việt Nam Private Healthcare Development Forum 2026, organised by the Việt Nam Private Hospital Association (VPHA).

Under the theme "Institutional Innovation – Quality Enhancement – Sustainable Development for Public Health", the event brought together nearly 600 policymakers, international experts, hospital managers, and private investors.

Discussions focused on institutional reforms, land access, financial mechanisms, and digital transformation.

Public-private integration for public health

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Health Đỗ Xuân Tuyên said public and non-public healthcare are non-competitive, complementary pillars of a single national health system.

Referring to recent Politburo directions, including Resolution No. 68 on private sector development and Resolution No. 72 on healthcare protection and improvement, Tuyên said state policy strongly encourages private capital to enter high-tech medicine, preventive care, medical device manufacturing, and pharmaceutical production.

"Our goal is not necessarily to establish 100 additional hospitals. It could be just 10 facilities, provided they deliver exceptional quality, advanced specialised techniques, and superior patient satisfaction," he said.

While private providers possess clear advantages in capital agility, quick decision-making, and early technology adoption, modern hardware remains useless without competent human resources.

"No matter how advanced the equipment is, it depends on well-trained personnel to operate safely and effectively," he added.

Delegates gather at the 2nd Việt Nam Private Healthcare Development Forum 2026, which opened in HCM City on August 20.

Scale expansion versus structural challenges

Over the past three decades, Việt Nam’s private health network has expanded rapidly.

VPHA chairman Nguyễn Văn Đệ said the country now operates nearly 450 private hospitals, more than 50,000 private clinics, and tens of thousands of medical technicians.

"Private healthcare has significantly eased the burden on public facilities, brought state-of-the-art treatments closer to domestic patients, created jobs, and elevated Việt Nam's medical reputation internationally, attracting foreign patients," Đệ said.

However, private hospital beds still account for roughly seven per cent of the national total, far short of the government target of 15 per cent by 2030.

Sector leaders highlighted persistent systemic hurdles, including asynchronous legal policies, difficult land access, complex health insurance reimbursement procedures, and severe shortages of highly qualified specialists.

HCM City as an integrated ecosystem hub

HCM City currently serves as the country's primary private medical hub.

Assoc Prof Dr Tăng Chí Thượng, director of the city Department of Health, said the city hosts 95 private hospitals (accounting for 7,398 beds, or 15.2 per cent of total municipal beds), 358 polyclinics, and over 11,000 specialised clinics.

The city authorities view private facilities not as a supplementary backup, but as an indispensable component of a unified healthcare ecosystem.

"We encourage investors to move beyond central city districts into new urban areas, industrial zones, and densely populated suburban neighbourhoods where quality care remains scarce," Thượng said.

He called on private hospitals with strong expert teams to build specialised "Centres of Excellence" and integrate directly into the city-wide emergency response and epidemic control network.

The forum, running through August 21, features policy dialogues between state management bodies and private enterprises, alongside technical sessions drawing on international experience from Malaysia and China regarding risk management and clinical quality assessment. — VNS