The first useful application launched by HCMC is to partially addressed traffic congestion. Named ‘TTGT Tp Ho Chi Minh’ (meaning ‘traffic information in HCMC’) and introduced by the HCMC Department of Transport, this app regularly updates the traffic status of major roads in the city, coded in colors, so that users can avoid current jams and choose their best route accordingly.
The app allows users to post their comments to timely add further traffic information. People can also access images captured by traffic cameras installed in many intersections around the city.
Another helpful app is ‘UDI Maps’, developed by HCMC Urban Drainage Co. Ltd. This app provides images about urban flooding, captured by the city’s camera system. From them, the staff of the company will visit troublesome spots and timely solve the problem.
City dwellers can also use this app to avoid flooding spots and choose their alternative routes, or they can report new flooding locations to the company, actively contributing to improve the traffic status.
Fully aware of the high need of residents in HCMC about healthcare services, the HCMC Department of Health has used the current database of the city about hospital and clinic locations to develop the app ‘Tra cuu kham chua benh’ (meaning ‘hospital looking up’).
After installation, users can enter popular keywords like ‘fever, chest pain, vaccination, health check’ to access information of possible clinics and hospitals near them that offer the services to cure those symptoms. These pieces of information include work hours, average waiting time, available services and modes, prices, contact details.
Another healthcare app also introduced by the HCMC Department of Health is ‘Y te truc tuyen’ (meaning ‘Online healthcare’) for the public to give feedback on illegal actions of the staff in hospitals. From March to July 2020, this department received over 100 reports of the kind to impose appropriate punishment.
The app ‘SXD247’ is introduced by the HCMC Department of Construction to allow city residents to look up information about real estate projects, document processing status, administration procedures. This app regularly updates necessary information regarding investors, scale, surface area, and progress of a construction project, along with necessary legal documents and real images of the project status.
By using this app, citizens can give feedback on the service quality or problems related to construction, lighting, urban flooding, security of any building project to state units.
Besides the mentioned apps on mobile platforms, HCMC also manages the hotline 1022 and its corresponding Facebook fanpage to receive reports from city dwellers and increase interaction between the authorities and citizens.
This hotline welcomes information about infrastructure issues in the fields of traffic, water supply and drainage, lighting, green space, and public transport.
At the moment the hotline offers additional contact methods via the app ‘Tong dai 1022’ (meaning ‘1022 center’), SMS to the number 1022, the e-portal https://1022.tphcm.gov.vn and the email address of 1022@tphcm.gov.vn.
