Asia and Oceania

The standard of health care in Vietnam is sufficient in the major cities for treating minor injuries, but more complicated treatment may require evacuation to a third country. 

There has recently been an increase in the number of dengue haemorrhagic fever cases in Vietnam due to some unseasonal periods of heavy rain, and there have been a number of serious cases, some of which have resulted in fatalities.  Dengue fever – which, like malaria (which also occurs in Vietnam), is transmitted by mosquitoes – is also prevalent in urban areas.

There are no vaccinations against these diseases but there are preventative measures that you can take, as advised on the National Travel Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website. You should visit your GP in advance of your visit to discuss malaria prevention tablets.

There are wild dogs in Vietnam, and there have been reports of rabies in Lai Châu province (north Vietnam).  You should take particular care in rural areas.

During the Monsoon season, which generally runs from October to February, heavy rains can result in flooding in some areas. It can sometimes take days for the water to recede completely. Especially during this time (though it can be a problem all year), some drainage and sewage systems do not work as effectively as they could. This may result in a greater risk for certain water-borne diseases such as cholera (a food and water-borne disease) and dengue (due to an increase in mosquito activity around pools of stagnant water). In 2008, cases of cholera were reported throughout Vietnam, including in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Please see the National Travel Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website for advice on preventative measures you can take to avoid these diseases.

Hygiene standards in restaurants vary. Beware of food from street side vendors, which might be contaminated. If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to Vietnam you should seek immediate medical attention.

You should not drink wine without brand names. At the end of September 2008, nine Vietnamese nationals in Ho Chi Minh City died as a result of fatal levels of methanol in certain brands of rice wine.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 280,000 adults aged 15 or over in Vietnam were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.5% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%.  You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Vietnam and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) or NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health and for food/drink hygiene see the Eat and Drink Safely.

Swine Influenza (Swine Flu)

There have been confirmed cases of the H1N1 swine influenza virus in Vietnam.  Increased surveillance and control measures are in place.  All travellers arriving in Vietnam will be thermally scanned and will be required to complete a questionnaire about their recent medical history.  Any passenger arriving in Vietnam from an international flight, or across a land border, who has a body temperature of over 38°C will be sent to a local hospital for isolation and testing for the H1N1 virus.  The test results should be processed within 24 -48 hours. If the results are positive, they will be treated in isolation until they can be discharged (usually 5- 7 days later).

A number of passengers with a high temperature have been held in quarantine for 24-48 hours whilst the Vietnamese authorities have taken blood samples and waited for test results. Even when the body temperature has returned to normal and no other symptoms have appeared, the authorities have not released people until the test results have been returned negative for H1N1. If you are in this situation, please offer the authorities your full cooperation and be patient.

There have been a number of recent cases of British nationals who have been stopped at Moc Bai land border crossing into Vietnam.

Reports indicate that holding areas and hospitals are extremely basic and some rooms lack basic facilities (toilets/beds). Little English is spoken and it has been hard for British nationals to find out information about when they are likely to be discharged. The hygiene standard is low and it has been hard to obtain drinking water.

It can take up to 4-5 days for the tests to be returned as negative if the visitors came to Vietnam via land borders as tests can only be done  at Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. This has resulted in British nationals being held for a long time in very uncomfortable conditions. We would therefore suggest arriving into one of the Vietnam's airports.

If you develop any symptoms of Swine flu whilst in country (the initial symptoms of this flu virus are like those of the regular flu virus: fever, muscle aches, runny nose, and sore throat. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea may be more common with this swine flu than with the regular flu) immediately register for a health check.  Your hotel reception will be able to assist with this.  The hotel will then contact the local health service who will arrange for the necessary tests.  You may be requested to self-quarantine in the hotel for 7 days.  During this time, if the symptoms persist or get worse you should report this immediately to the hotel who will arrange medical assistance.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6.  The WHO website has further details. You should continue to monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. See our swine flu page. Guidance on Pandemic Flu is also available on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

There have been outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in poultry in at least 15 of Vietnam's 64 provinces. In February 2009 a number of provinces across Vietnam were affected, prompting the Vietnamese government to announce emergency measures to prevent the spread of the disease from poultry to humans. Reports from the WHO show that Bird Flu outbreaks in Vietnam have led to over 100 cases, of which over 50 have been fatal (most recently in April 2009).  They are believed to have arisen through close contact with infected poultry.

The risk from Avian Influenza is believed to be low, provided you avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.
 
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of the possibility that the Avian Influenza outbreaks could lead at some point to a human flu pandemic, if the virus mutates to a form easily transmissible between people.
 
British nationals living longer term in an Avian-Influenza affected region should take personal responsibility for their own safety in the event of a future pandemic, including considering their access to adequate healthcare and ensuring travel documents are up to date.

You should read this advice in conjunction with the Avian and Pandemic Influenza.