🏥 Hospitals · Pharmacies
Where to go when you're sick, emergency numbers, international hospitals near District 2, using pharmacies, preventing dengue and heat illness, and phrases for the clinic
Where to go when you're sick
- Minor symptoms (cold, upset stomach, small cuts) → pharmacy (nhà thuốc). Describe your symptoms and buy medicine. Many drugs are sold without a prescription.
- When you need a doctor → an English-speaking international clinic. Expensive, but communication is easy.
- Emergencies → call 115 (ambulance) or go straight to a hospital with a 24-hour emergency room. A Grab car is often faster.
- International hospitals are expensive. Get expat health insurance, and check in advance whether the hospital offers direct billing with your insurer.
Be ready for emergencies
- Emergency numbers: 115 (ambulance), 113 (police), 114 (fire).
- Calls are answered in Vietnamese. Write your home address in Vietnamese and save it on your phone.
- Check the list below in advance for hospitals with an emergency room.
Hospitals and clinics near District 2
Family Medical Practice — District 2 Medical Centre
International clinic (24 hours) · Thảo Điền (now An Khánh ward)
An international clinic right in the middle of Thảo Điền, covering pediatrics, internal medicine, OB-GYN, dermatology, vaccinations, tests and imaging, and emergencies. English and Vietnamese spoken.
Emergency: *9999 or (028) 3744 9000. Listed as 24 hours in the Australian Embassy's Jul 2026 list.
📍 95 Thảo Điền, phường An Khánh, TP.HCM
Victoria Healthcare — An Khánh
International clinic · Thảo Điền (now An Khánh ward)
The District 2 branch of an international clinic chain with several locations in HCMC. English and Vietnamese spoken.
Call center: 028 7309 4545
📍 37-39 Lương Định Của, phường An Khánh, TP.HCM
American International Hospital (AIH)
General hospital (24-hour emergency) · Near An Phú (now Bình Trưng ward)
An international general hospital in the former District 2, with a 24-hour emergency room and English-speaking staff.
Main hotline: 1900 3399
📍 199 Nguyễn Hoàng, phường Bình Trưng, TP.HCM
Vinmec Central Park International Hospital
General hospital (24-hour emergency) · Bình Thạnh (across the Sài Gòn Bridge from District 2)
An international general hospital just across the bridge from Thảo Điền, with a 24-hour emergency room and English-speaking staff.
📍 208 Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh, Vinhomes Tân Cảng, phường Thạnh Mỹ Tây, TP.HCM
FV Hospital (Franco-Vietnamese Hospital)
General hospital (24-hour emergency) · District 7 (now Tân Mỹ ward)
A large international hospital popular with foreigners, and on the Australian Embassy's hospital list. It's 30+ minutes by car from District 2.
Emergency: 028 3511 3500 (24 hours)
📍 6 Nguyễn Lương Bằng, phường Tân Mỹ, TP.HCM
Using pharmacies
- Chain pharmacies like Long Châu, Pharmacity and An Khang are in every neighborhood. Price tags and receipts make them reassuring.
- Describe your symptoms and the pharmacist will pick the medicine. Always ask how many times a day, and before or after meals.
- Pharmacies sometimes hand out antibiotics too readily. Avoid antibiotics you don't need, and see a doctor if a fever persists.
- For your regular medicines, write down the active ingredient name (in English) — it makes finding the same drug easier.
Dengue · Heat · Vaccinations
- In the rainy season (roughly May–Nov), dengue fever (sốt xuất huyết) spreads. Use mosquito repellent.
- If you have a high fever and muscle aches, get tested right away.
- For fever, use paracetamol. Ibuprofen and aspirin can be dangerous with dengue, so talk to a doctor.
- The heat is intense. Drink water often, and if you feel dizzy, rest somewhere cool.
- You can get advice on vaccinations (typhoid, hepatitis A, rabies, etc.) at international clinics.
Phrases at the hospital and pharmacy
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Gọi xe cấp cứu giùm tôi! | Please call an ambulance! | goy seh kuhp kew-oo yoom toy! |
| Tôi bị sốt. | I have a fever. | toy bee sohk. |
| Tôi bị ho. | I have a cough. | toy bee haw. |
| Tôi bị tiêu chảy. | I have diarrhea. | toy bee tee-oo chai. |
| Tôi bị đau đầu. | I have a headache. | toy bee dao duh-oo. |
| Tôi bị dị ứng thuốc này. | I'm allergic to this medicine. | toy bee yee ewng too-uhk nai. |
| Tôi muốn đặt lịch khám. | I'd like to make an appointment. | toy moo-uhng dak lit kham. |
| Ở đây có bác sĩ nói tiếng Anh không? | Is there a doctor who speaks English? | uh duhy kaw bak see noy tee-uhng an khohng? |
| Tôi có bảo hiểm. | I have insurance. | toy kaw bao hee-uhm. |
| Thuốc này uống mấy lần một ngày? | How many times a day do I take this? | too-uhk nai oo-uhng muhy luhng mohk ngai? |
| Uống trước hay sau bữa ăn? | Before or after meals? | oo-uhng chew-uhk hai sao bew-uh ang? |
| Có thuốc chống muỗi không? | Do you have mosquito repellent? | kaw too-uhk chohng moo-oy khohng? |