In Vietnam, people wait from wee hours for health check-ups

Patients flood hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City even before dawn, hoping to secure an early spot for their check-ups.

Every night, people begin arriving at the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital in Binh Thanh District, eager to grab a place in line.

A security guard told a young man from Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta to return at 2:00 am, and by 2:30 am, he had secured his spot.

By nearly 3:00 am, Muoi Loc, a 59-year-old woman from Dong Thap Province who has been battling a thyroid goiter for 20 years, was already waiting.

She explained that arriving early allows her to have her health checked in the morning and head back home by noon.

However, if her ultrasound is scheduled for the afternoon, she sometimes opts to get it done at a nearby clinic and then submit the results to the hospital.

Other times, she was forced to rent a room and stay overnight to complete the process the next day.

Also at 3:00 am, Tran Thi Mai, a 60-year-old from Dong Thap Province, was in line after her follow-up for hypothyroidism at the Oncology Hospital.

She planned to head to Binh Dan Hospital in District 3 afterward for a bowel check.

Meanwhile, brokers linger outside hospitals, ready to offer a quicker path to medical services, for a price.

These brokers approach patients, promising faster access to hospital services without the need to wait in line, all for a fee.

“Are you here to see a doctor? It’s going to take a long time to get a spot. I can help you out for just VND200,000 [$8],” one broker at Cho Ray Hospital in District 5 confidently told undercover reporters from Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, mistaking them for patients.

Shortly after, a middle-aged man approached the reporters, explaining that all he needed was a photo of their ID cards, and they could return at 6:00 am to see a doctor without delay.

The cost? VND300,000 ($12) for immediate attention.

At the gate of the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, another woman offered to secure a spot in a consulting room by 5:15 am, pricing her service between VND250,000 ($10) and VND300,000.

A similar offer was made at Binh Dan Hospital, where a broker quoted VND300,000 for the same expedited service.

By Thanh Ha & Yen Trinh & An Vi – Tuoi Tre News – August 12, 2024,