Top 10+ Tips on Healthcare in Vietnam

It is relatively safe to travel to Vietnam and many travelers have had enjoyed the country these days. Vietnam is one of the greatest places to live and work in Southeast Asia. One of the highlights of the country includes delicious foods, most of which are not too expensive and many others. Lots of foreigners still worry about the country’s healthcare system which has been told to be poor and not meet international standards. Many things have been changed, many hospitals in Vietnam can handle serious cases and save many lives, vaccines programs ensure children and adults are protected as soon as possible from deadly and common diseases and illnesses. Here are the Top 10+ Tips on Healthcare in Vietnam, which gives you necessary information about Vietnam’s healthcare system and help you to protect yourself from common health problems in the country.

Strong sun and mosquito harm your health in Vietnam.

1. Self medication is a good choice in Vietnam when you have mild symptoms, feel better day by day. You can treat diarrhea, food poisoning, cold, flu, sunstroke yourself. You should choose trusted pharmacies such as ECO Phamaceuticals, Phano, An Khang, Long Chau. Here are the Top 5 retail pharmacy chains in Vietnam.
2. Hospitals in rural and remote areas, can handle first aid well and treat patients with mild symptoms.
3. In major metropolitan cities, some government-owned and private hospitals are able to handle serious cases of most of the diseases and sicknesses including deadly ones.
4. In government-owned hospitals, clinics and medical centers, the staff speak limited English, customer care services are not too good, there is a large number of patients, you must wait for a long time at outpatient clinics, x-ray, ultrasound, testing and other rooms. Prices of services are relatively low.
5. At private international clinics and hospitals, doctors, nurses, receptionists and other workers speak English, some French, Japanese, German. They have experience in taking care of expats and foreign travelers. The cost of the services at these places is rather high. Here is the list of 50+ Medical Clinics and International Hospitals in Vietnam, including international and government-owned in most of the cities and provinces in Vietnam. Check out Vietnam‘s Top 10+ International Hospitals and Clinics which provide the best services in the countries. Vinmec, SOS, Family Care Practice, FV, Hong Ngoc are top healthcare brands in Vietnam.
6. Call 115 if you need an ambulance in Vietnam. An ambulance and the staff who speak English limited will take you to a public hospital where the cost of healthcare services is not too expensive but the emergency room is usually crowded.
7. Call directly the emergency number of international clinic and hospital if you would like a better emergency ambulance service and healthcare service.
8. Cold, diarrhea, seasonal flu including H1N1 flu, worms, rabies, diseases caused by mosquitos such as dengue fever, malaria, chikungunya, Japanese Encephalitis, tuberculosis, Hepatitis A, B, C, HIV are the most common diseases and illnesses in Vietnam. Read more about 10+ common diseases & illnesses in Vietnam and tips on preventing them.
9. Travelers should take vaccines for Japanese Encephalitis, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, flu and take worm medicine before going to Vietnam. Expats can take the vaccines when they have already been in the country.
10. Mosquito repellent is a must thing to pack for Vietnam. You should use the repellent in areas, where mosquitos are abundant, such as forests, areas with ponds, lakes, countryside.
11. Sleep under a net if needed.
12. Pale-colored and long clothes are recommended to protect yourself from mosquitos.
13. Stay away from stray animals who may transmit rabies.
14. Food poisoning, sunstroke, sunburn, dehydration are common illnesses that a new arrival may have in Vietnam.
15. Viruses and bacteria of diseases and sicknesses in Vietnam are most likely transmitted through eating, drinking contaminated foods, eating with tableware which has not been sterilized in proper ways, having sex without protection with a Vietnamese person who you barely know, sharing tattoo and body piercing equipment, puncturing your skin with infected needles thrown on benches, ground, grass.
16. Drink only bottled water because tap water is not safe. If you stay in Vietnam for a short period, you should brush your teeth with bottled water. On the contrary, expats should get acquainted with tap water.
17. A travel-sized hand sanitizer should be packed in your luggage. It is very useful in Vietnam where there are not always hand wash.
18. Public restrooms are not always cleaned regularly in proper ways so that they are common sources of diseases and sicknesses. Sterilizing toilet seats using anti-bacteria wet tissues or similar things to protect yourself.
19. Never eat foods served by chefs who do not wear gloves, foods served on tableware which has not been cleaned carefully. It is recommended to eat foods served and cooked by chefs wearing masks.
20. Piping hot foods such as noodle soups, hot pots, pan-fried cakes, congees are the best choices. Warm foods, cold foods, foods containing uncooked meats, seafood, fishes, vegetables and herbs, seafood and snails which have not been cooked thoroughly are less safe. Foods with wraps, peelable fruits are safer.
21. Never eat foods which have been got by a strange person using his eating utensils. Do not use your eating utensils to get foods from the plates for strange people on a group tour.
22. Travel insurance or a Vietnam medical insurance for expats is recommended.
23. Masks can help to protect people walking and riding cyclos, bicycles, motor scooters, motorbikes from air pollution.
24. Hats (or caps), umbrellas, long clothes, thin jackets, sunscreens are useful in Vietnam where the sun is strong from 11:00 to 15:00 in the summer in North Vietnam and dry season in South Vietnam.

Tracy’s team and you will zip through Ho Chi Minh City, enjoy the nightlife like locals, trolling into street food areas to taste distinct Vietnamese foods.