Ho Chi Minh City oncology hospital expects 1.2 million outpatient visits this year

Speaking at a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony on Monday between the hospital and innovative medicines company Novartis Vietnam for 2026-28, Diep Bao Tuan, director of Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, said the hospital currently receives about 4,800-5,000 patients a day.

In 2025, the hospital recorded more than one million outpatient visits for the first time, reaching 1.08 million, an increase of 200,000 visits from the previous year.

The hospital estimates that outpatient visits will rise by another 10-15 percent in 2026 to about 1.2 million.

Each year, the hospital performs nearly 40,000 cancer surgeries, around 180,000 radiation therapy procedures, and 200,000 chemotherapy treatments.

During the 2026-28 period, the hospital aims to build a comprehensive cancer-care ecosystem in which patients are placed at the center.

Tuan said the hospital is pursuing international standards such as the American Accreditation Commission International accreditation from the United States and aims to become an Oncology Center of Excellence.

The hospital is expanding precision medicine, applying AI to improve diagnosis and treatment speed.

More than 40 clinical trials are underway at the hospital, with plans for physician-led studies using real-world hospital data and broader international collaborations.

According to the hospital leader, cancer in Vietnam is often detected at a very late stage.

“A study conducted several years ago found that 50-80 percent of patients came to hospitals when their disease was already at Stage 3 or Stage 4,” Tuan elaborated on why Vietnam’s cancer mortality rate is higher than that of some countries in the region.

He emphasized the need for early screening and stronger involvement of primary healthcare.

The hospital will work to strengthen cancer-related knowledge among healthcare workers at grassroots-level medical facilities across the city, while continuing its digital transformation to improve efficiency, streamline operations, and make medical services more accessible to patients.

In related news, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said the city would continue prioritizing investment in Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital as demand for cancer screening and treatment increases.

The municipal health sector confirmed five major public investment projects at the hospital for 2026-30, with a combined estimated investment of more than VND5 trillion (US$192 million) from the state budget.

The projects include a new high-tech disease screening area, procurement of specialized medical equipment, procurement of a cyclotron system and a single-energy linear accelerator, a proton therapy center, and new patient support facilities.

Additional healthcare public-private partnership projects include a 700-bed oncology hospital in Ba Ria, high-tech screening centers in Tan Kien and Thu Duc, and a new oncology branch in Binh Duong.