Vinmec won the Asian award with its cancer patient care initiative

At the Healthcare Asia Awards 2026 ceremony on March 26 in Singapore, Vinmec Health System also won in two other categories: “Health System of the Year” and “ESG Program of the Year”, marking the second consecutive year of being honored at one of Asia’s leading medical awards.

Sharing about the “Patient Care Initiative of the Year” award, a Vinmec representative said that in Vietnam, cancer treatment previously mainly focused on curing diseases, controlling tumors and prolonging life. Palliative care is usually only applied in the final stages. Therefore, the physical pain and mental pressure of patients and their families have not been paid enough attention.

Faced with this reality, in January 2025, Vinmec Central Park developed and implemented a palliative care program for cancer patients in a different direction: not waiting until the final stage, but starting right from diagnosis. Patients receive comprehensive care both physically and mentally throughout the journey.

Accordingly, besides doctors, nurses and pharmacists, the program also has the participation of psychologists and social workers. Psychologists help patients face and overcome anxiety; while social workers act as a bridge between medicine and life, accompanying families in times of crisis and important decisions.

Facing the diagnosis of stage 4 cancer that had metastasized, Mr. John (British nationality) and his family experienced days of physical and mental exhaustion. Treatment methods were no longer effective and caused side effects, causing his body to weaken and his spirit to collapse. His greatest wish is not only treatment, but also finding peace in his final journey of life.

He and his family participated in the palliative care program at Vinmec Central Park, Ho Chi Minh City. Here, he feels like he lives in a “second home”. The nursing team controls pain, alleviates uncomfortable symptoms and supports him in his daily activities. In addition, they also helped him overcome anxiety and negative emotions.

In addition, a team of social workers accompanies the family to remove worries, make important decisions calmly, and mentally prepare for the inevitable.

In the last moments of his life, Mr. John said goodbye to his family through the screen. At his bedside, a priest was invited by the hospital to help him pass away peacefully.

Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Linh (42 years old) was diagnosed with breast cancer and began a treatment journey with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, surgery and radiation therapy. From the moment she discovered the disease, she was accompanied by the palliative care team, helping to reduce anxiety and understand each stage of treatment.

During chemotherapy, side effects such as nausea and fatigue are closely monitored and effectively controlled. When difficulties arise at work, there is always someone in the family to help advise and solve them. Thanks to that, she completed her treatment journey with confidence in her ability to recover in the future.

“There were times when I thought I couldn’t go on. But thanks to everyone always being by my side, I no longer felt like I had to face everything alone,” she said.

Mr. John and Ms. Linh are two of many cases being monitored at the Oncology Center, Vinmec Central Park General Hospital. According to hospital representatives, since implementing the palliative care program, patients and their families have received support in symptom control, psychological counseling and companionship during treatment. The program aims to improve quality of life, while focusing on emotional factors in addition to treatment results.

Mr. Mohammad Ahmad Toma Guzo, head nurse of the Oncology Center, Vinmec Central Park, said that directly caring for patients helped him note positive changes since the model was applied. Patients control symptoms better, maintain quality of life and are more psychologically stable during treatment. Families are also more proactive, more understanding and more deeply involved in decisions.

“We want to prove that, even when the illness is serious, we can still bring comfort, connection and peace to the patient,” he shared.

MSc. Doctor Nong Ngoc Son, Director of Vinmec Central Park Oncology Center, said that in terms of treatment, the hospital has fully deployed modern methods such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and biological therapy (targeted treatment, immunotherapy). The development of the palliative care program has helped Vinmec complete the picture of cancer treatment, moving towards the goal of making palliative care an essential pillar in modern cancer medicine.

“In the future, we hope to be able to replicate this model to many other hospitals, contributing to reducing the burden of cancer not only in Vietnam but also in the region,” he emphasized.