Over the past year, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health implemented a model where city hospitals rotated specialist doctors to Con Dao, aiming to improve local access to medical services. However, according to Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, this model primarily offered temporary, periodic support and failed to establish stable healthcare capacity on the island.

Under a plan currently being developed by the Department of Health, People's Hospital 115 will open a second facility in Con Dao. This facility will deploy appropriate personnel, expertise, and technology to the island, becoming the core medical unit providing healthcare services to local residents. The hospital will also connect with specialized hospitals in the city for professional support when necessary.

Doctors from Ho Chi Minh City's top-tier hospitals, alongside medical staff from the Con Dao Military-Civilian Health Center, performed the first endoscopic surgery for a patient on the island, September 2025. *Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health*.

The second facility of People's Hospital 115 will serve as a "rear base" for the Con Dao Special Zone Health Station, which is responsible for primary healthcare, chronic disease management, and community health monitoring. Cases requiring specialized intervention will be managed collaboratively by top-tier specialists.

A key priority is ensuring obstetrics and pediatrics services in Con Dao. Therefore, Hung Vuong Hospital and Children's Hospital one will collaborate with People's Hospital 115 on staffing, training, and technology transfer. Long-term plans include establishing Obstetrics and Pediatrics departments at the second facility. Other specialties and techniques will also be implemented based on actual needs, prioritizing conditions that can be safely diagnosed and treated.

Doctors from People's Hospital 115 demonstrated their determination to establish the second facility in the Con Dao Special Zone, August 26. *Hospital provided*.

According to Thuong, opening the second facility of People's Hospital 115 is not just about adding a hospital; it aims to create a continuous healthcare chain in Con Dao. In this chain, the health station provides primary care, the hospital handles treatment, and the city's top-tier hospitals offer specialized support.

"Initial medical support for Con Dao primarily involved sending doctors to the island; the next step is bringing the capacity of the entire city's healthcare system to the island," Thuong said. He added that this model will provide greater peace of mind for residents and tourists needing medical care in an area remote from the mainland.

People's Hospital 115 is one of Ho Chi Minh City's leading general hospitals, directly under the Department of Health, and serves as a top-tier specialist in many medical fields.

Le Phuong