½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Menu
½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Pregnancy advice - Hanoi

Post new topic

dhjackal

Hi,

My girlfriend has just found out she is pregnant.  We're living in the old quarter  (only just arrived a few weeks ago so a bit green). Can anyone recommend a good English speaking doctor/clinic/hospital where we can get definate confirmation. Obviously a little bit apprehensive as we are so new to Hanoi so any / all help and advice appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Fred

Hi, welcome and congratulations.
I hope local members can offer good suggestions for you.

dhjackal

Thanks Fred,

Luckily our hotel had a receptionist who has kids and recommended the following hospital just north of the old quarter. The website is ;



Might be useful for others in a similar situation.

We paid €40 (included a free meal voucher), the staff were professional, friendly and spoke excellent English. We were in and out in 2 hours. I couldn't recommend it enough. Tbh for the money you wouldn't get the level of service, care and treatment back in the UK.

phikachu

Errr, the NHS is free...?

Nothing like a trip to a decrepit Vietnamese hospital after an accident to make you truly appreciate the NHS.

BTW, the going rate for a foreigner to be seen by a Dr at a hospital is 200,000 vnd. Locals are manipulated into giving about that in backhanders to jump the queue too. obviously it doesn't include treatment/medicine...most pharmacists would have test kits? There's one in the old quarter but they overcharge foreigners. 20,000 vnd for a plaster! Next day, different lady and it was 30,000.  :idontagree:

dhjackal

Since when has the NHS been "free"?  I've paid taxes for 28 years in the UK......that amounts to a lot more than £40.

Personally I didn't care what it cost it was what we needed at the time. If you wanted to be helpful why didn't you reply to my original post with some helpful advice rather than a post rant about how I might / was / could have been ripped off?  Which by the way is a matter of oppion.......I personnally felt the level of service, respect, care and attention we received was well worth the money we paid.  I'm pretty sure under similar circumstances others would agree.

phikachu

Ok so technically every UK citizen funds the NHS but what an amazing thing it is to have universal healthcare which provides the same level of service regardless of whether you are rich or poor or if you're willing to give the doctors backhanders.

Seems you went to a private hospital, now you know the going rate for if you ever need to visit a state one.

dhjackal

Ok so technically every UK citizen funds the NHS.........NO.......

Technically every working, tax paying citizen of the UK funds the NHS. I don't for one minute dispute the fact it's a great system and the people who work in it are both undervalued and extremely underpaid. The level of service you mentioned however is debatable. Have you ever been to an Accident and Emergency wing on a Friday night in London?

My reply to your post was both thankful and hopefully reassuring / helpful to others who by chance have found themselves in a position where they require medical treatment in Hanoi and are looking for a suitable, albeit paid solution. I'm not sure "backhanders" were involved in anyway and to be honest for the level of service and care we received at £40 I don't care. What I wanted to know was that my girlfriend and child were okay, fit and healthy and £40 was nothing compared to the piece of mind and care we received.

As for the going rate if I ever went to a state hospital? Are you joking? It'd take a doctor's appointment, refer to hospital, refer to nurse for blood test, 2 (if lucky) week wait for a scan etc etc.........not a chance you'd get that back home for £40.

As I said hopefully this thread will help someone who needs similar advice in the future. Maybe you should book a flight back to the UK if you should find yourself in need of medical treatment of advice whilst in Hanoi.

Thaiger

I just go to a local clinic. takes 5 minutes and costs about 50k dong including 2 medicines.

phikachu

dhjackal wrote:

Ok so technically every UK citizen funds the NHS.........NO.......

Technically every working, tax paying citizen of the UK funds the NHS. I don't for one minute dispute the fact it's a great system and the people who work in it are both undervalued and extremely underpaid. The level of service you mentioned however is debatable. Have you ever been to an Accident and Emergency wing on a Friday night in London?

My reply to your post was both thankful and hopefully reassuring / helpful to others who by chance have found themselves in a position where they require medical treatment in Hanoi and are looking for a suitable, albeit paid solution. I'm not sure "backhanders" were involved in anyway and to be honest for the level of service and care we received at £40 I don't care. What I wanted to know was that my girlfriend and child were okay, fit and healthy and £40 was nothing compared to the piece of mind and care we received.

As for the going rate if I ever went to a state hospital? Are you joking? It'd take a doctor's appointment, refer to hospital, refer to nurse for blood test, 2 (if lucky) week wait for a scan etc etc.........not a chance you'd get that back home for £40.

As I said hopefully this thread will help someone who needs similar advice in the future. Maybe you should book a flight back to the UK if you should find yourself in need of medical treatment of advice whilst in Hanoi.


Wasn't suggesting you are paying backhanders, I said Vietnamese citizens are expected too if they don't want to be deliberately neglected. Foreigners also have to pay a 200,000 fee just to see someone and rightly so. Its just a pretty sad state of affairs how corrupt the healthcare is in Vietnam but you didn't see that part. If you would compare their state healthcare system with the NHS, then you would realise how damn lucky we are.

I have had treatment before in a state hospital. Was in a motorbike accident in Ha Giang, paid my 200,000 vnd to be seen. Easy enough and didn't have to queue. Felt really sad for the massive queue of clearly poor and miserably ill looking people crammed in every single hall way. Was the same situation at a state run eye hospital.

Local vietnamese really are expected to pay backhanders just to be treated well. So sad seeing this happening and made me realise how awesome our NHS.



If you re-read what i wrote there's actually useful info in there and no comment about suggesting you over or underpaid. I think £40 is indeed cheap. Congrats on the kid. If i find myself in that situation in Hanoi, I'll know where to go  :cool:

Articles to help you in your expat project in Hanoi

  • The healthcare system in Vietnam
    The healthcare system in Vietnam

    Moving to Vietnam is going to present you with an abundance of challenges, from the logistical aspect to customs ...

  • Pregnancy in Vietnam
    Pregnancy in Vietnam

    As an expat couple or an expat in a relationship with a Vietnamese person, the notion of having children has ...

  • Health insurance in Vietnam
    Health insurance in Vietnam

    If you're planning to travel to Vietnam or intend to stay in the country long term, then it would be wise to ...

  • Accidents and emergencies in Vietnam
    Accidents and emergencies in Vietnam

    If you're thinking about moving to Vietnam, may we be the first to congratulate you on this splendid decision! ...

  • Finding a job in Hanoi
    Finding a job in Hanoi

    With Vietnam's new visa regulations, you will need to secure a job before entering the country. Opportunities to ...

  • Accommodation in Hanoi
    Accommodation in Hanoi

    Historic, beautiful, and full of charm. Phrases like this are all synonymous with the wonderful city of Hanoi. As ...

  • Working in Hanoi
    Working in Hanoi

    The traditional capital of Vietnam is quickly becoming a professional's paradise. Attracting over 20,000 ...

  • The most popular neighbourhoods in Hanoi
    The most popular neighbourhoods in Hanoi

    Formerly known as Thang Long, Vietnam's present capital city was renamed Hanoi in 1831. This enchanting, ...

All of Hanoi's guide articles