Elevating healthcare system in Dong Nai

Dong Nai currently possesses a relatively comprehensive and robust healthcare network, ranging from grassroots and preventive healthcare to specialized treatment services, encompassing both public and private medical facilities.

A nurse at Thong Nhat General Hospital uses electronic medical records. Photo: Hanh Dung

The healthcare sector is continuing to implement synchronized solutions aimed at restructuring and comprehensively upgrading the healthcare system.

Strengthening grassroots healthcare

Director of Dong Nai’s Department of Health, Do Thi Nguyen, said that as the locality enters a new development phase, the healthcare system still faces several limitations. These include shortages of high-quality human resources, particularly specialist doctors; uneven development of grassroots healthcare; shortages of leadership personnel and accountants at many medical stations; governance capacity that has yet to meet requirements; and deteriorating infrastructure at some facilities. Notably, healthcare worker resignations remain an ongoing issue. In the first four months of 2026 alone, the sector recorded 123 resignations, including 46 doctors. Primary healthcare currently lacks more than 1,000 staff positions needed for effective operations.

To strengthen grassroots healthcare, Dong Nai’s health sector has set a goal of completing the restructuring and consolidation of all 95 commune- and ward-level healthcare stations before December 31, 2026. At the same time, authorities will review, construct, and renovate substandard facilities, prioritize investment in difficult and border areas, standardize basic equipment lists, and improve frontline healthcare workforce quality. This direction carries strategic significance because under the two-tier local government model, local healthcare stations are not only responsible for primary medical care but also serve as the “first line of defence” in disease prevention, community health management, early disease detection, and reducing pressure on higher-level hospitals.

Dong Nai currently has nearly 4,500 doctors, equivalent to 10 doctors per 10,000 residents. To achieve the target of 13-15 doctors per 10,000 residents by 2030, the city will need nearly 3,800 additional doctors.

To improve the quality of human resources at the grassroots healthcare level, the healthcare sector is implementing solutions such as rotation, mobilization, and secondment of doctors from higher levels to support grassroots facilities. At the same time, it will provide continuous training and develop specific policies for difficult areas.

Regarding the primary healthcare network, the medical sector is reorganizing regional medical centers to ensure streamlined and effective operations. During the second quarter of 2026, and no later than December 31, 2026, all functions, equipment, financial resources, assets, and preventive healthcare personnel from regional health centers will be transferred to local healthcare stations. Authorities are also considering dissolving or merging inefficient regional health centers and affiliated units under the Department of Health. Hospitals and medical centers are also being reorganized into general hospitals, specialized hospitals under the Department of Health, or secondary campuses of city-level general or specialized hospitals. 

Establishing specialized medical centers

If primary healthcare serves as the foundation, specialized hospitals represent the “face” of the city’s healthcare system. Dong Nai currently has two hospitals classified as specialized facilities: Dong Nai General Hospital and Thong Nhat General Hospital.

According to Director of the Dong Nai Department of Health, Do Thi Nguyen, the health sector will invest in and upgrade the scale of Long Khanh Regional General Hospital to 1,400 beds and increase the scale of the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital to 1,500 beds through expansion and conversion of the existing Dong Nai Children’s Hospital. Both facilities are expected to be upgraded into specialized hospitals in the near future.

Thong Nhat General Hospital will also be expanded to 1,500 beds, including specialized centers focusing on orthopedics and rehabilitation, traditional medicine, cardiovascular intervention and cardiothoracic surgery, urology, and geriatric care.

Dong Nai General Hospital is expected to expand to 2,000 beds with the establishment of specialized centers for otolaryngology, oncology, cardiovascular diseases, and stroke treatment.

In addition, the health sector also plans to build a new Tropical Disease Center with a scale of 200-300 beds; invest in and improve the quality of hospitals: Binh Phuoc General Hospital, Dinh Quan Regional General Hospital, Long Thanh Regional General Hospital.

Director of the Department of Health Do Thi Nguyen emphasized that developing specialized healthcare centers is inevitable to meet the increasing healthcare needs of local people. With the ability to treat complex diseases, these centers will reduce referrals, save costs for people, and increase attractiveness throughout the region.

Given the city’s large population, complicated traffic conditions, and relatively low rates of patients reaching hospitals during the “golden hour,” the health sector is also preparing a proposal for establishing a pre-hospital emergency care network aimed at improving survival rates for stroke victims, heart attack patients, and severe trauma cases. The proposal includes building a new 115 Emergency Center covering 0.1-0.5 hectares, investing in digital transformation devices and tools for managing the city-wide 114 emergency system, upgrading the former Binh Phuoc regional emergency operations center located at Binh Phuoc General Hospital, and strengthening emergency transport teams at general hospitals to ensure each general hospital has at least two ambulances.

Regarding medical human resources, Member of the Standing Board of the City Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Le Truong Son said that the City People's Committee is accelerating cooperation with the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City to establish a medical training branch campus in Dong Nai. At the same time, the City People's Committee continues to advise and submit to the City People's Council for the promulgation of policies on attracting and supporting healthcare human resources. This helps healthcare staff feel secure in their careers and remain committed to their units in the long term.

By Hanh Dung - Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha