Century-old French-style building at Ho Chi Minh City hospital gets new lease on life

Tu Du Hospital on Tuesday inaugurated its renovated Building A, which now accommodates 300 beds for patients covered by health insurance, along with a newly upgraded operating-room system in Building H.

Building A has accompanied generations of doctors and patients and has become an enduring part of the hospital's collective memory.

After 60 days of renovations, the building has been given a fresh appearance while retaining the architectural features that reflect its nearly 100-year history.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Dr. Tran Ngoc Hai, director of Tu Du Hospital, said the hospital had begun a comprehensive renovation program before 2022, carrying out upgrades section by section in a phased approach.

Following the renovation and reopening of Buildings H, B and M, work has now been completed on Building A and the operating rooms in Building H.

Building A has a total floor area of more than 44,000 square meters and now provides 300 beds.

The number of restrooms has been tripled compared with the pre-renovation layout, providing patients and their families with more convenient living conditions.

“In the past, a shared ward would often have five to seven people,” Dr. Hai said.

“Patients could lie down, but they could hardly sleep.”

After the renovation, each ward has a maximum of four beds.

The hospital identifies patient privacy as an important priority, recognizing that better personal space can contribute to more effective care and treatment.

Alongside the renovation of Building A, eight new operating rooms in Building H have also been refurbished and upgraded.

The improvements provide additional space and better working conditions while expanding the hospital's capacity in a medical field that continues to grow in demand.