Scam in Ho Chi Minh City International Schools re Medical Emergencies

Dear SSIS Parents,

Last week, a medical emergency scam was detected at another international school in Ho Chi Minh City. Parents received a call from someone pretending to be from the school/an emergency clinic, who said that their child had been injured and that the parents must transfer funds urgently.

This horrible scam plays on the vulnerability of distressed parents, who, believing something has happened to their child, may do anything to keep them safe.

We want to let you know that SSIS will never approach parents for money or banking details in relation to a medical emergency. In the rare instance that SSIS would ever need to pay for medical emergency expenses, you will be contacted by our Business Office via email within 2-3 days.

Please continue reading below, for important reminders from our Health Office regarding our protocols regarding sick or injured students. You will find more details in the Health Office’s handbook.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this or other important matters.

All good wishes,
Dr. Catriona Moran
Head of School

Important Reminders from Our Health Office SSIS Students and Medical Emergencies

Our nurses will always contact the parents/guardians if your child has a medical emergency that requires immediate attention and transfer to a hospital or specialist. Your child will never be sent to the hospital alone. They will be accompanied by an SSIS nurse or employee.

If they are unable to reach you by phone, you may also receive a message by email, Zalo, or SMS. You may also be contacted from an unknown number, such as a sports coach.

No SSIS faculty or staff member will approach parents for money or banking details.  In the rare instance that SSIS would ever need to pay for medical emergency expenses, you will be contacted by our Business Office via email.

ES & MS Non-Emergency Release from Nurse 

The nurse will contact the parents/guardians to arrange for pick up of students who are too sick to remain at school. For their safety and security, they may not leave the campus unsupervised. The following three steps must be followed each time a student is retrieved from campus:

1. Parent/guardian goes to the divisional office for ID check and verification.
2. Divisional office issues a signed dismissal slip and notifies nurse of parent/guardian’s arrival.
3. Parents/guardians present the dismissal slip to the nurse and take student home.

HS Non-Emergency Release from Nurse

The same policy, as above, applies to high school students who the nurse deems is not in stable condition to go home independently.

The only exception is when a high school parent is called to come pick up their child, they can call the divisional office to give permission for the student to walk or ride home independently, if the nurse agrees.

If the students is allowed by the parent and the nurse to return home independently, the nurse will dismiss the student after having been given explicit permission from the HS office.

More on the Health Office and SSIS Nursing Care can be found here, in the Health Office handbook.