On September 12, 2025, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Security jointly proposed a sweeping overhaul of the country’s emergency response system. Their plan, which is currently in the drafting stage, aims to centralize all emergency calls—medical, police, and fire—under a single national hotline, replacing the current fragmented system of separate numbers (113, 114, and 115). This bold move comes at a time when the nation is grappling with a surge in infectious diseases and a spotlight on the limitations of its emergency medical services.
According to the Ministry of Health, the proposed national emergency call center would operate 24/7, linking medical, police, fire, and rescue teams in real time. The vision is clear: a single, easy-to-remember number for all emergencies, powered by information technology, artificial intelligence, and big data. The system would not only route calls to the appropriate response teams but also use advanced tools to locate callers, classify emergencies by severity, store crucial data, and even forecast demand for services in the future.
But why now? The urgency is underscored by the current health crisis. As reported by the Ministry of Health on September 12, 2025, infectious diseases are on the rise across Vietnam. Dengue fever, hand-foot-mouth disease, and seasonal influenza are spreading rapidly, with more than 65,000 cases of dengue fever and 11 deaths recorded nationwide so far this year. Ho Chi Minh City alone has reported over 26,000 dengue cases, and the southern provinces account for more than 70% of all cases. Some regions, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Tay Ninh, have seen case numbers multiply several times compared to the same period in 2024. Surveillance data reveals that multiple strains of the dengue virus are circulating, some of which are known to cause severe and complicated illnesses.
Hospitals specializing in infectious diseases—such as the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bach Mai Hospital, and major pediatric hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City—are seeing a daily uptick in patients seeking treatment for dengue. The Ministry of Health has urged citizens to proactively get vaccinated against dengue, warning that the disease is expected to continue its upward trend and become even more complex in the coming months. The situation is exacerbated by environmental factors, such as stagnant water, poor sanitation, and the humid, rainy weather that follows storms and flooding—conditions that provide a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and other disease vectors.
Besides dengue, hand-foot-mouth disease and influenza are also on the rise, with over 35,000 cases reported since the start of the year. The reopening of schools has heightened the risk of transmission among children, and health experts caution that delays in seeking treatment can lead to severe complications. "Many parents think that dengue or hand-foot-mouth disease must present with skin rashes before it’s serious, and only then do they bring their children to the hospital. In reality, not all serious cases show rashes, and some patients are already experiencing complications by the time they arrive," said Dr. Nguyen Minh Tien, Deputy Director of Children’s Hospital City in Ho Chi Minh City, according to nhandan.vn.
Against this backdrop, the inadequacies of Vietnam’s emergency medical system have become painfully clear. Despite efforts by government agencies and the health sector, the current system faces a host of challenges. As detailed by the Ministry of Health, Vietnam lacks a comprehensive legal framework for emergency medical services and has not issued a national or long-term development strategy for these services. Health insurance does not cover emergency medical transport, making it difficult to operate and expand such services. Coordination remains fragmented across sectors and localities, with no centralized command or oversight.
The statistics are sobering. The 115 emergency call centers currently in operation can only meet about 10-20% of emergency demand, leaving 80-90% of patients to either find their own way to hospitals or rely on volunteer teams. Only about 60% of districts have ambulances, and a staggering 70% of these vehicles do not meet international standards. The ratio of ambulances per 100,000 people in Vietnam is just 0.2, compared to 0.8 in Singapore, 2-3 in Japan and Taiwan, and 2 in South Korea. Response times are another concern: while the international standard is a response time of eight minutes or less in urban areas and 15 minutes or less in rural areas, Vietnam’s average times are significantly higher. The survival rate for patients after emergency care is about 65%, which falls short of global benchmarks.
Human resources are another weak link. About 80% of emergency medical staff have not received regular or continuous training, and only about 20% have standardized certifications. Communication systems are outdated and inconsistent, further hampering efforts to deliver timely care. In many remote or rural provinces, access to proper emergency services is virtually nonexistent.
Recognizing these gaps, the Ministry of Health has set ambitious goals in its draft project for 2025-2030. By 2030, every province and city is expected to have a fully developed emergency medical system, with all vehicles meeting standards and at least two million people trained in basic first aid. The project rollout will occur in two phases: a pilot program from 2025 to 2027 in six localities (Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Ha Tinh, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, and An Giang), followed by nationwide expansion from 2027 to 2030.
The proposed national emergency call center is at the heart of this transformation. It promises not just to streamline emergency responses but also to foster better coordination among medical, police, fire, and rescue services. By leveraging modern technology, the system aims to overcome the current patchwork of hotlines and fragmented response efforts, making it easier for citizens to get help when they need it most.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health continues to urge local authorities and the public to remain vigilant against infectious diseases. "People should proactively get vaccinated because dengue fever will continue to increase and develop in complex ways in the near future," the Ministry emphasized. Health workers are ramping up public education campaigns, spraying insecticides, and promoting good hygiene practices—especially in flood-prone and densely populated areas. The health sector is also coordinating with local governments to monitor outbreaks, inspect slaughterhouses for food safety, and crack down on violations related to animal health and food hygiene.
The coming years will test Vietnam’s resolve and resourcefulness as it seeks to modernize its emergency response infrastructure while battling persistent public health threats. If successful, the new national emergency call center could become a model for other countries facing similar challenges—an example of how technology, coordination, and community engagement can save lives when every second counts.
