In 2016, the Government issued Decision No. 1791/QD-TTg on choosing March 25 every year as ‘Vietnam Social Worker Day’ to honor the noble value of the profession and those who do this work.
Practical supports
In mid-2024, the Department of Neonatal Pathology of Gia Dinh People's Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City had to care for five abandoned babies at the same time. The oldest baby was less than 6 months old, the youngest was just over 10 days old who had congenital heart disease, respiratory failure, premature birth, and cleft lip and palate.
Head Nurse Tran Thi Thanh Thuy of the Neonatal Pathology Department reported that clinical staff frequently provide supplementary care, including the provision of diapers and formula, to address the psycho-social needs of infants experiencing maternal absence. This practice aims to mitigate the effects of maternal deprivation during hospitalization. However, the extended duration and high cost associated with neonatal pathological treatment pose significant challenges to resource allocation and patient care.
Therefore, the Social Work Department of Gia Dinh People's Hospital called for help from the community through media and newspapers. After only three days, philanthropists across the country rallied to support five children with over VND1 billion.
Elsewhere in Ho Chi Minh City, family members of a 59 year old patient from An Giang Province who was receiving treatment at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases fell into despair when the cost of tetanus treatment was more than VND120 million. Borrowing money from relatives and friends, the male patient still needs more than VND50 million for hospital fees. Following guidance from the Social Work Department, the patient's daughter initiated a verification process in her hometown to document the family's socioeconomic hardship. This documentation facilitated the Social Work Department's subsequent appeal to philanthropic organizations for financial assistance.
Philanthropic contributions significantly alleviated the financial burden of hospital expenses for the family, enabling them to prioritize patient care.
Head of the Social Work Department of Cho Ray Hospital Le Minh Hien recalled the impressive case that the unit had effectively supported. That was the case of two brothers who suffered from botulinum poisoning in 2023. At that time, the 18 year old man and 26 year old man in Hau Giang Province had muscle weakness, needed ventilators. They had to undergo a long treatment with a hospital cost more than VND300 million.
Worse, the absence of health insurance for the younger brother placed a substantial financial burden on the family, who were already struggling with limited income.
Last but not least, the Social Work Department's impact extends beyond routine patient support, playing a pivotal role in the success of organ transplantation within Ho Chi Minh City. Their responsibilities include providing emotional and practical assistance to donor families, managing funeral arrangements, and ensuring donor recognition.
Furthermore, their involvement in child protection at Children's Hospital 2 is evident through their collaborative efforts with law enforcement and legal counsel in suspected abuse cases during 2024.
Many hospitals lack social workers
Deputy Health Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said social work in hospitals has helped shift the mindsets of medical staff and the public. This has enabled better understanding of the vital role companionship and support play in healthcare.
He added that social work activities in hospitals play a vital role in serving patients more professionally. These efforts help address a wide range of psychological and social issues, both mental and physical, while also connecting patients to better medical services.
According to Director Ha Anh Duc of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management under the Ministry of Health, in the past 9 years, hospital-based social work has evolved from an unfamiliar concept to a more professional and effective practice, achieving significant results through the adoption of new models and best practices.
By the end of 2024, the team of social work staff had supported and advised on solving problems for more than 1 billion patients and relatives during the medical examination and treatment process. However, currently, the whole country has more than 9,000 social work staff in hospitals, but only about 10.25 percent are properly trained in their expertise and profession.
Currently, medical examination and treatment facilities are facing a shortage of social work professionals with the necessary expertise, and there are no established competency standards for this field. To address this pressing need, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy will, for the first time, admit students into a university-level social work program starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, aiming to enroll 60 students. The introduction of this bachelor's degree in social work is expected to effectively contribute to the development of skilled human resources both locally and nationally.
The Ministry of Health has identified persistent obstacles to effective hospital social work, notably underfunding and a lack of suitable facilities and equipment. These resource constraints impede service delivery. Additionally, securing financial support for social work initiatives remains difficult, as many hospital administrators do not fully engage with or prioritize these activities.
