On March 25, 2021, the Quang Nam Provincial People’s Committee issued Decision 777/QD-UBND to grant the investment license to Viet Australia Medical Group Company Limited to invest VND325 billion to build 300-bed Vietnam Australia International Hospital in Thanh Ha Ward, Hoi An City. This is the starting point of a journey to realize the dream and aspiration of residents and tourists in Hoi An having access to high-quality medical services at a world-class facility. This is also what entrepreneur Do Nhu Chau, a man of Hoi An, aspired to build for citizens.

Realizing aspirations

Do Nhu Chau is a popular businessman in Hoi An because he is not only the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viet Australia Medical Group Co., Ltd, but also the Director of Hoang Nhu Construction Co., Ltd - a reputable builder and design consultant of traffic works and the Chairman of Le Pavillon Hoi An Group. He is an open-minded businessman, who started like many ordinary Hoi An people but always strived harder than others to reach his current success.

Chau, born in 1982 in Hoi An City, grew up like any other children. When he was an 11th grade student, he witnessed a relative treated at Hoi An Hospital. On a rainy and windy night, four or five very wet people carried a woman with an old door to the hospital for emergency rescue. Unfortunately, due to late arrival and poor medical services, she did not survive. Witnessing the incident in his youth with many thoughts and dreams, he wished that he had a lot of money to build a medical facility for everyone then.

After finishing his high school education, Chau passed the entrance exam and studied transport and communications. His company was involved in traffic construction, design consultancy and tourism. The first project undertaken by the group is 84-room Le Pavillon Luxury Hoi An Hotel, covering 2,000 square meters at 145B Tran Nhan Tong built at a cost of more than VND100 billion in 2016. Later, the company built 68-room Le Pavillon Boutique Hoi An, 50-room Le Pavillon Paradise Hoi An, 130-room Le Pavillon Gallery Hoi An, and 130-room Le Pavillon Riverside, which was scheduled to be put into operation in June 2021. Currently, the Le Pavillon brand has five facilities with 462 rooms, costing nearly VND2,000 billion.

However, the COVID-19 epidemic outbreak in 2020 disrupted the tourism industry and the Le Pavillo hotel system was also affected by tourism slumps. But since the first epidemic outbreak in China, Chau anticipated difficulties early and decided to adopt many response solutions to reduce corporate financial pressure and join hands with more than 400 employees to overcome hardships and prevent the epidemic with the community.

Bringing high-quality medical services to people and tourists

The COVID-19 pandemic also revealed shortcomings of the existing health system. Chau suddenly recalled his dreams and decided to invest in the health sector. Well appreciated by relatives, friends and partners for his ideas, Chau and colleagues embarked on building a 4-5 star international hospital at an average cost.

With well-prepared location, resources and action plans, right after the project was approved, the group accelerated the completion of remaining procedures to kick off the project in June 2021 and complete it by June 2022. The project is called Vietnam Australia International Hospital because of the close linkage between the investor and domestic resources with foreign partners. So far, the group has signed and performed investment cooperation in facilities, equipment and manpower for operation with many partners in Australia.

The group determined that this investment is not for profit but primarily for providing healthcare service for people and visitors in Hoi An. Once combining tourism with healthcare, Hoi An will be able to draw many new tourists: Paying the same cost but visitors can enjoy travelling and access healthcare similar to their home country. Thus, building Vietnam Australia International Hospital is not only aimed at serving social security and helping people with access to high-quality medical services, but also attracting foreign tourists and promoting Hoi An tourism. And in the future, more international hospitals will be built by the group in Quang Nam province and other localities.