Vietnam approves new pre-hospital emergency care scheme

Vietnam has approved a new scheme to develop the pre-hospital emergency care system for the 2026-2030 period. Signed by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Decision No. 1515/QD-TTg took effect on August 10, 2026.

The initiative aims to shift the medical paradigm from waiting for patients to arrive at hospitals to providing care immediately at the scene of an accident or medical emergency. Dr. Ha Anh Duc, Director of the Medical Examination and Treatment Management Department under the Ministry of Health, noted that the system will move toward a unified emergency number, digital map coordination, and the mobilization of both public and private resources.

Under the plan, 34 provinces and cities will establish dedicated switchboards. When citizens call the 113 emergency number, the system will automatically identify the caller and determine their location to coordinate appropriate response forces. The system is designed to screen calls, identify phone numbers, and categorize the level of urgency, creating a “living map” of the emergency network to ensure hospitals are prepared before the patient arrives.