Many public hospitals in provinces have struggled to keep their doctors, particularly experienced and qualified medical practitioners.

The exodus from public hospitals to the private sector due to higher salaries and better working conditions has increased not only in big cities like Hanoi and HCM City but also in many provinces, including Can Tho, Dong Nai, and Ca Mau.

Up to 14 doctors have filed their resignation with Can Tho City's General Hospital, including many head of wards. The reasons for their decision are they are busy with their family or want to move to private hospitals. While some people frankly said that they are not satisfied with the monthly income which is too modest compared to what they contribute.

More than 10 doctors left Ca Mau Province's General Hospital last year and the situation has continued this year.

Since early this year, over 40 doctors at public hospitals in Dong Nai Province have stopped their work. Most of them have moved to private hospitals with much higher salaries.

In an effort to attract doctors, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai has offered special subsidies. A doctor will receive a subsidy of VND240 million (USD11,428) while working in a public hospital, with VND180 million for a master and between VND60 million and VND150 million for doctors of different levels.

Despite the preferential policy, Lao Cai Province has still found it hard to lure doctors. The province's general hospital has 150 doctors, but still lacks 30. By 2020 when the hospital plans to expand more, the hospital will require 150 additional doctors.

The hospital's only doctor of medicine has recently moved to work for VINMEC private hospital in Hanoi.

Doctor Nguyen Trung Cap from the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi said that many doctors at public hospitals could increase incomes by working overtime or receive bribe envelopes from patients. However, this was only unofficial income. So lots of them want to move to private hospitals where they can have official income deserving of their work.

According to Nguyen Huy Quang, Head of the Ministry of Health's Legal Department, doctors at public hospitals, particularly central ones, often face great pressures due to patient overloading. Meanwhile, hospitals at province and district levels have the modest number of patients, and doctors there do not have many chances to stretch themselves. So, it is easy to understand why many doctors want to switch to private hospitals.