The national emergency medical number in Vietnam is 115. It connects you to the public emergency service in your province or city, which can send an ambulance. Calls are usually answered in Vietnamese, ambulance availability and response times vary by place and time, and in big-city traffic a taxi or ride-hailing car is sometimes faster for a patient who can be moved safely. The best emergency plan is made in advance: know your nearest hospital with a 24-hour emergency department, keep key documents ready, and have a Vietnamese speaker you can call.
This guide covers what happens when you call 115, how to decide between an ambulance and making your own way, what to expect at an emergency department, and the preparation that matters most for foreign residents. It does not replace first-aid training, which is one of the most useful things a new resident can do.
Calling 115: what to expect
115 is free to call from any phone. The operator will need to know where the patient is, what has happened, and the patient's condition. In most of the country, the operator will speak Vietnamese; some operators in large cities can manage simple English, but you should not count on it. If a Vietnamese speaker is nearby, such as a neighbour, a shopkeeper, a security guard or a hotel receptionist, hand them the phone.
The address is the hardest part. Vietnamese addresses, especially in alleys, can be confusing, and the 2025 reorganisation changed many ward and commune names. Keep your home address written in Vietnamese, with the current ward or commune and province, saved on your phone and posted inside your front door. Add a landmark, such as the name of the main road the alley leads off. Sharing your location by phone with a Vietnamese-speaking friend, who can then talk to the operator, is a practical fallback.
Public ambulances in big cities are staffed and equipped for emergency care, but demand is high and traffic slows everything. Private ambulance services also exist, often linked to private hospitals, and some insurers arrange them. It is worth knowing whether the hospital you would use runs its own ambulance and how to reach it.
Ambulance or make your own way?
Emergency medical advice everywhere is to call for an ambulance when in doubt. In practice, foreign residents in Vietnam sometimes face a choice. The comparison below is a guide to thinking it through, not a rule.
| Situation | Usually better to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Unconscious, not breathing normally, suspected spinal injury, severe bleeding | Call 115 and give first aid | Moving the patient may cause harm; trained crews can start treatment |
| Chest pain, signs of stroke such as face drooping or slurred speech | Call 115; if delays are long and the patient is stable, go immediately to the nearest major hospital | Time to treatment matters more than anything else |
| Conscious, able to sit, injury to arm or leg, high fever | Taxi or ride-hailing car to an emergency department | Often faster in city traffic; less risk |
| Child with breathing difficulty or a seizure | Call 115 and seek help nearby at once | Children can deteriorate quickly |
| Uncertain and alone | Call 115 and also call someone you trust | You need both help and a second pair of hands |
Never put a seriously injured person on a motorbike to get them to hospital. It happens often after road accidents and can turn a survivable injury into a fatal one. The same applies to moving anyone with a possible neck or back injury.
Choosing the hospital in an emergency
In a true emergency, the nearest hospital with a capable emergency department is usually the right one, even if it is a public hospital where you do not speak the language. Stabilising a patient comes first; a transfer to a private hospital or to the facility your insurer prefers can be arranged once the immediate danger has passed.
For less urgent situations, such as a suspected fracture, a deep cut or a high fever in an adult, you have more choice. Private hospitals with emergency departments offer shorter waits and English-speaking staff, and may bill your insurer directly. Large public hospitals have the most experience with serious trauma, burns, poisoning and infectious diseases. Many foreign residents keep two names in mind: the closest hospital for anything life-threatening and a preferred private hospital for everything else.
Outside the big cities, the choice is usually the provincial or regional public hospital. If you live in a smaller town, find out in advance which hospital receives emergencies and where patients are transferred for more specialised care.
What to have ready
The first hour after arrival at hospital goes faster when the paperwork is ready. Keep these together in a known place, and as photos on your phone.
- Passport or temporary residence card, or clear copies of both.
- Insurance card, policy number and the insurer's 24-hour assistance number.
- A payment card with a sufficient limit, and some cash; deposits are often requested before admission.
- A one-page health summary in English and Vietnamese: conditions, allergies, current medicines, previous operations, blood group if known.
- Names and phone numbers of an emergency contact in Vietnam and one at home.
- For children, their vaccination record and any regular medicines with doses by weight.
- Your address in Vietnamese with the current ward or commune name.
Tell a trusted friend or colleague where this pack is kept. If you are the patient, someone else may need to find it.
Keep the digital copy somewhere you can reach without unlocking a phone that may be damaged or out of battery, such as an email to yourself or a shared folder with your partner. Some phones also allow medical information and emergency contacts to be displayed on the lock screen; it costs nothing to set up and helps responders when you cannot speak.
A household emergency plan in five steps
Families and people living alone both benefit from a simple written plan. It takes an evening to put together.
- Choose your two hospitals: the nearest with a 24-hour emergency department and your preferred private hospital, and check the route to each at night.
- Agree who calls 115, who calls the insurer, and who goes with the patient; for a single person, agree this with a nearby friend.
- Put your address in Vietnamese, with ward or commune, province and a landmark, inside the front door and on every adult's phone.
- Keep the emergency pack in one place and make sure older children know where it is and how to call for help.
- Review the plan when something changes: a move, a new baby, a new condition, or a new insurer.
Building managers and security guards in apartment blocks can be valuable allies. Introduce yourself, explain that you are a foreign resident, and ask how they would guide an ambulance into the building at night. Some blocks have specific entrances or lift arrangements for stretchers that are worth knowing about.
When it is urgent but not an emergency
Many health problems need prompt attention without justifying an emergency call: a persistent high fever, an earache in a child at night, a minor burn, vomiting that will not settle. For these, an emergency department is still an option, but there are others. Some international clinics and private hospitals offer extended hours or a doctor on call, and some insurers provide telephone or video consultations with doctors who can advise whether you need to be seen in person.
Knowing which of these options you have before you need them saves hours of uncertainty. Check whether your clinic has an out-of-hours number, whether your insurer offers a medical advice line, and which nearby hospital deals with children overnight, since not every emergency department is equally comfortable with young patients.
Whatever the route, trust your instinct. If someone seems seriously unwell, is getting worse quickly, or you are frightened, treat it as an emergency and go or call 115.
At the emergency department
Emergency departments in Vietnam work on triage: the most urgent cases are seen first. Expect a quick assessment, followed by tests such as blood work, an ECG or imaging, often within the first hour. At public hospitals you or your companion may be sent to separate counters for registration, payment and collecting results. Corridors can be crowded, and patients sometimes wait on trolleys.
Your insurer should be called as early as possible. Most international insurers run a 24-hour assistance service that can contact the hospital, issue a guarantee of payment, monitor your care and arrange a transfer if needed. Some policies require notification within a set period after an emergency admission; failing to call can complicate the claim.
Consent forms and instructions are usually in Vietnamese. Ask for an explanation of anything you are asked to sign, and if possible have a Vietnamese speaker read it with you. You can ask what the proposed treatment is, why it is needed, and what the alternatives are. Ask, too, for copies of test results and the discharge summary before you leave.
Road accidents: the most common emergency
For foreign residents, road traffic accidents are among the most likely reasons to need emergency care, often involving motorbikes. If you witness or are involved in a crash, protect the scene from further traffic if it is safe to do so, call 115, and do not move injured people unless they are in immediate danger. Remove a helmet only if the person is not breathing and you are trained to do so.
Afterwards, a crowd will often gather and people may try to settle matters on the spot. Focus on medical care first. If police attend, cooperate and keep any documents they give you. Insurance claims after accidents typically need medical records and sometimes a police report, so ask what you will need while you are still at hospital.
Prevention matters more than any procedure. Wearing a proper helmet, riding only with a valid licence, avoiding riding after drinking, and being cautious at night and in the rain prevent most of the injuries emergency doctors in Vietnam see among foreigners.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
What is the emergency number in Vietnam?
The emergency medical number is 115, which connects to the ambulance service in your area. Calls are free. Operators usually speak Vietnamese, so a Vietnamese speaker helps, and having your address written in Vietnamese with the current ward or commune name saves valuable minutes.
Do ambulance crews in Vietnam speak English?
Some do in large cities, but you should not expect it. Bring or call a Vietnamese speaker if possible. Pointing to a written health summary in Vietnamese is an effective way to communicate allergies, conditions and medicines when language is a barrier.
Will a hospital in Vietnam treat me if I cannot pay immediately?
Emergency departments provide initial life-saving care, but hospitals commonly ask for a deposit or payment for ongoing treatment and admission. An insurer's guarantee of payment usually resolves this. Carry a card with a sufficient limit and your insurer's assistance number so this does not delay care.
Should I go to a private or public hospital in an emergency?
For a life-threatening emergency, go to the nearest capable emergency department, public or private. Stabilisation comes first, and a transfer can follow. For urgent but not life-threatening problems, many residents prefer a private hospital for language and billing, while large public hospitals handle severe trauma and burns.
Is it faster to take a taxi to hospital than wait for an ambulance?
Sometimes, in city traffic, for a patient who is conscious and can be moved safely. It is not safe for unconsciousness, suspected spinal injury, severe bleeding or breathing problems, where an ambulance crew's care matters. Never transport a seriously injured person on a motorbike.
Should I take a first-aid course in Vietnam?
It is one of the most useful things a resident can do, particularly parents and anyone who rides. International clinics, some schools and organisations run courses in English. Basic skills, such as recognising a stroke, performing CPR and controlling bleeding, are the same everywhere.