Vietnam’s pediatric ambition: From breakthroughs to global stage

On January 8, 2024, a team from Children’s Hospital 1 and Tu Du Hospital performed Vietnam’s first-ever fetal heart valve intervention on a 32-week-old fetus with a life-threatening defect.

The 40-minute procedure saved the unborn child’s life and set a precedent in the country’s medical history.

Since then, doctors have successfully carried out 14 fetal heart interventions, including cases involving foreign patients.

These breakthroughs have raised survival chances for children whose odds were previously below 20 percent.

The hospital’s advances extend beyond cardiology.

In cooperation with the Ho Chi Minh City Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital, Children’s Hospital 1 recently completed its first hematopoietic stem cell transplant for a Mong ethnic minority child suffering from severe idiopathic bone marrow failure, a condition with an estimated mortality risk of up to 80 percent.

The success highlighted the institution’s ability to pioneer advanced treatments.

Ngo Ngoc Quang Minh, director of Children’s Hospital 1, said such unprecedented techniques required bold leadership, careful risk management, and strict adherence to medical and legal standards.

He emphasized the importance of multi-level consultations, transparent procedures, and prioritizing patient welfare.

He said he personally monitored implementation, resolved obstacles promptly, and encouraged collective intelligence and professional respect among departments to build trust and coordination.

In 2023, the hospital’s cardiology center became the first in Vietnam and the seventh worldwide to be recognized by the U.S.-based Children’s HeartLink as a center of excellence.

At the same time, the hospital has expanded training, technical transfer, and professional support for pediatric, obstetric-pediatric, and general hospitals across southern Vietnam.

These efforts have strengthened lower-level hospitals, reduced overcrowding at top-tier facilities, cut treatment costs, and improved equitable access to high-quality pediatric care.

Minh stressed that leadership in healthcare means not only managing but also taking responsibility for difficult decisions, fostering innovation, and directly engaging in complex cases.

Looking ahead, Ho Chi Minh City’s health sector aims to become a healthcare hub for ASEAN, Asia, and the world, mastering advanced techniques such as fetal interventions, congenital heart treatments during pregnancy, and robotic surgery.

Children’s Hospital 1 plans to grow sustainably under a ‘three-pillar’ model: advancing medical expertise, improving patient care and satisfaction, and ensuring fair treatment and benefits for healthcare workers.