The relocation of many hospitals and universities out of Hanoi city centre as part of efforts to ease traffic congestion has remained slow.
Hanoi has 96 universities and colleges with 67,000 students, accounting for a third of the country’s tertiary education institutions and 40% of the country's student numbers. Among those, up to 26 universities are located in the four inner-city districts of Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da and Hai Ba Trung.
Patients queuing for medical check-up at Bach Mai Hospital
Work on the new facility of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, in Hoa Lac area started at the end of 2003 and was scheduled for completion by the end of 2015. But construction has not yet been finished. Mai Hoang Anh, chief office manager of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said the new campus at Hoa Lac was proceeding slowly due to a lack of finance.
There are more than 70 hospitals in Hanoi, with half of these health centres are in the four inner-city districts, with many located in densely-populated areas.
In 2011, the prime minister issued the Hanoi Master plan to 2030, in which, the relocation of local universities and hospitals out of the city’s centre was required. It also includes the construction of new branches of some universities and hospitals in the suburban areas. Under the decision, 13 hospitals and 12 universities were identified for relocation.
However, to date, only two among the K Hospital and Endocrinology Hospital have finished construction of their second branches.
Initially, the second branch of Viet Duc Hospital in Hanoi was expected to become operational by late 2017, but this has been delayed until 2018. To meet the increasing demand for medical check-up and treatment, in 2015, the hospital built another building at Phu Doan Street.
The National Lung Hospital has discussed relocation for years, however, the plan has remained on paper due to financial difficulties.
