Vietnam's healthcare spending forecast to reach US$34.1 billion: the technology adoption challenge

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 October 2026 – Vietnam's healthcare spending is forecast to reach US$34.1 billion by 2028, while most medical equipment, finished medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients are still imported; at the same time, policy is shifting its focus towards prevention and screening.

Global Health Week Vietnam 2027 takes place against this backdrop, where healthcare facilities, businesses and investors come together to discuss solutions, partnerships and investment in Vietnam.

Resources grow, and so does the need for innovation

Speaking at a workshop of the Health Strategy and Policy Institute on 24 December 2025, Dr Ong The Due said Vietnam's healthcare spending has grown by an average of around 7–8% a year: from US$17.4 billion in 2019 to an estimated US$27.5 billion in 2025, and is forecast to reach US$34.1 billion in 2028.

This growth comes with a shift in the direction of health care. Resolution 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo (September 2025) on protecting, caring for and improving people's health calls for a decisive shift from treatment-centred care to proactive prevention and continuous, life-course health care. Directive 17/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister (May 2026) calls for all citizens to receive a free periodic health check-up or screening at least once a year and to have a personal electronic health record by the end of 2026.

Funding has been allocated: the National Assembly has approved the investment policy for the National Target Programme on health care, population and development for 2026–2035 (Resolution 262/2025/QH15), with total funding of VND 88,635 billion (about US$3.4 billion) for 2026–2030, of which VND 47,692 billion is public investment capital. The second campus of Bach Mai Hospital (1,000 beds) has a 2025 procurement plan of 47 equipment packages worth more than VND 338 billion (about US$13 million).

The professional foundation is in place: Vietnam's essential health service coverage index reached 71 out of 100 in 2023, according to the World Bank; Vietnamese doctors have mastered multi-organ transplantation, fetal cardiac intervention and robotic surgery, performing more than 1,000 organ transplants a year. Yet at many facilities, equipment has not kept pace with the capabilities of the workforce.

The gap is clearly visible in the equipment market: according to the U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA), citing BMI forecasts, Vietnam's medical device market could grow from US$1.9 billion in 2024 to US$2.8 billion in 2029, while around 90% of equipment is still imported. Procurement therefore has to go hand in hand with technical transfer, consumables supply, data integration, maintenance and post-handover support.

The pharmaceutical sector faces a similar challenge: Vietnam imports around 60% of finished medicines and 90% of active pharmaceutical ingredients (ITA), while the National Strategy for Pharmaceutical Industry Development (Decision 1165/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister) targets domestically produced medicines meeting around 80% of demand and 70% of market value by 2030, with domestic raw materials meeting 20% of demand – which calls for manufacturing technology, quality control and technology transfer agreements with clearly defined responsibilities.

International capital is already present: the 2024 Statistical Yearbook records 159 valid FDI projects in health and social assistance, with registered capital of nearly US$1.77 billion. In 2023, Thomson Medical Group completed the acquisition of the company that owns FV Hospital, with an initial payment of US$352.8 million, and Raffles Medical Group signed a conditional agreement to acquire a controlling stake in and participate in the management of the American International Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City; AstraZeneca has committed to invest US$360 million in Vietnam through 2030.

From hospital needs to technology choices

Rising demand, expanding capital flows and the push for higher service quality are opening opportunities in Vietnam for global technology, infrastructure and solution providers; the next challenge is choosing the right solutions and putting them into operation. Global Health Week Vietnam 2027 takes place from 5 to 7 April 2027 at the Vietnam Exposition Center (VEC), Hanoi, co-organised by VEC and dmg events, and comprises three concurrent specialised exhibitions and conferences: Global Health Week Vietnam 2027 (health systems and care delivery), Laboratory & Diagnostics Vietnam 2027 (laboratory and diagnostics) and BioPharma Vietnam 2027 (pharmaceuticals and biotechnology).

The event targets around 30,000 attendees from more than 120 countries, including healthcare leaders, clinicians, administrators and decision-makers, among them 3,000 conference delegates; more than 500 exhibitors, more than 10 country pavilions and more than 300 domestic and international speakers.

Global Health Week Vietnam 2027 presents solutions in hospital infrastructure, operations, digital health, AI, preventive care and population health, alongside the high-level Global Health Week Vietnam Forum on health policy and investment, and the Innovation Theatre showcasing technology.

Laboratory & Diagnostics Vietnam 2027 addresses the need to strengthen testing capacity as screening expands, with the Diagnostics Innovation Zone covering molecular diagnostics, point-of-care technologies and AI-driven laboratory systems. BioPharma Vietnam 2027 focuses on manufacturing technology, quality standards and technology transfer, with Partnership & Investment Meetings bringing together manufacturers, investors and technology partners.

A need may begin at a patient's bedside, while the answer may lie half a world away from Vietnam. With fast-growing demand, capital already in place and an increasingly clear role in Asia's healthcare supply chain, Vietnam is a market that international suppliers are turning to. Global Health Week Vietnam 2027 creates more face-to-face meetings to close that distance: bringing technology closer to Vietnam's hospitals and patients and, from Vietnam, helping shape the future of healthcare in Asia.

Details and stand booking are available on each exhibition's website:
- Global Health Week Vietnam 2027: https://www.globalhealthweek-vietnam.com/
- Laboratory & Diagnostics Vietnam 2027: https://laboratoryandiagnostics-vietnam.com/
- BioPharma Vietnam 2027: https://biopharma-vietnam.com/

Hashtag: #VEC

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About the Vietnam Exposition Center (VEC)

The Vietnam Exposition Center (VEC) in Dong Anh, Hanoi is an international-standard exhibition and convention complex with a total area of around 900,000 m², comprising indoor exhibition halls, outdoor squares, a convention centre, a theatre and stadiums. VEC hosted the National Achievements Exhibition 2025, which welcomed more than 10 million visitors in 19 days, and specialised trade weeks such as Vietnam Industry and Technology Week 2026 (VITW 2026).

Website: https://vec.global/

About dmg events

Founded in 1989, dmg events organises more than 80 events a year in more than 20 countries, attracting over 1 million visitors and delegates, with flagship events including ADIPEC, Gastech, EGYPES, Big 5 Global and Abu Dhabi Global Health Week. Website: https://www.dmgevents.com/