Healthcare in Hanoi
The health care system in Hanoi is relatively developed, but a majority of the medical services are not yet at par with other neighbouring expat destinations such as Singapore. Most of the hospital staff is not qualified to prescribe in English and infrastructures are not quite excellent.
Though the quality of healthcare in the heart of Vietnam is not yet at par with Western standards, expats bound here should still not despair. The country is currently overhauling its below average healthcare system and Hanoi is undoubtedly one of the first cities that will benefit from the major changes. Around 0.10% of the national GDP will be allocated to the improvisation of the healthcare system and currently, only Hanoi along with Ho Chi Minh City are the two major cities in the country that have major hospitals.
Lack of National Health Insurance
Vietnam is still in the process of developing a universal healthcare system that will cover all its citizens. Currently, most nationals and working foreign nationals (under contract for at least three months) are required to contribute to the Social Security System which encompasses both the private and the public sectors. Those who have contributed to the system for at least 20 years are able to claim a pension from the age of 60 for men or 55 for women. There are certain conditions in which a person may retire and claim their pension early. Some of the benefits that can be claimed from contributing to the Vietnamese SSS are:
- Old-age Pension
- Survivor Pension
- Sickness and Maternity
- Workers’ Medical Benefits
- Dependents’ Medical Benefits
- Work Injury Coverage
- Temporary and Permanent Disability Benefits
- Unemployment Benefits
Though working and contributing self-employed foreign nationals in Hanoi can count on the benefits from the Vietnamese Social Security System, expats are still advised to take out international health insurance so they could seek better medical treatment in nearby countries with better health facilities, or save money on medical costs for emergencies in the city.
Hospitals in Hanoi
As mentioned earlier, most of the best clinics and hospitals in Vietnam are situated in Hanoi. The national healthcare system is a mixture of the public and private sector but in reality, even most of the locals choose to go to private hospitals where the quality of services, treatments and equipment are much better. Overcrowding is one of the major issues in Hanoi’s public hospitals that’s why expats in this city prefer to go to private medical facilities where the wait time is lesser and where they can find doctors and staff that speak English and French. Three of the most prominent hospitals in Hanoi are:
Medicines and Pharmacies
Over-the-counter medicines are widely available in Hanoi and one can buy even without prescription. However, expats must be mindful the some pharmacies sell counterfeit or expired drugs so watch out for medicines that are unreasonably cheap. Make sure to check the packaging for the manufacturing and expiration date. If possible, it is better to bring medications from your home country or purchase your medicines from the pharmacies inside malls, private hospitals or the large ones situated in major shopping districts. Some of the pharmacies in Hanoi are:
- Hien Nghia Pharmacy – Phuc Tan
132 Phuc Tan street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
- Tam An Pharmacy – Phuc Tan
338 Phuc Tan street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
- Long Hoang Ly Pharmacy – Phuc Tan
168 Phuc Tan street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
- GPP Pharmacy – Hang Phen
17 Hang Phen street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
- Minh Anh Pharmacy – Yen Thai
30 Yen Thai street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
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