Vietnam Boosts Healthcare Cooperation Internationally, Focusing on Radiology and Infectious Diseases

Over the past five years, despite the impact of global economic volatility, An Giang and Champasak have maintained regular exchanges of delegations at all levels while closely coordinating in trade promotion, business connection and human resources development. Through the programme, Son La aims to showcase the nature, culture and people of Long Sap, promote traditional cultural values alongside sustainable tourism, boost tourism and trade, and foster stronger cooperation contributing to sustainable socio-economic development in Long Sap and the Moc Chau National Tourism Area. Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tam expressed confidence that Vietnam and Laos will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder to gain even greater attainments in the Doi Moi process and jointly advance toward socialism. As of July 2026, 163 of the city's 164 hospitals, or 99.4%, adopted electronic medical records, the report said. About 64% of public hospitals and 65% of private hospitals now run the technology across their entire operations The Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology Department at Hong Ngoc General Hospital features a team of experienced physicians who have worked at leading cardiovascular centers in Vietnam. Director of the municipal Department of Health Tang Chi Thuong said a key prerequisite for attracting foreign patients is a strategy to develop centres of medical excellence. He proposed selecting hospitals and specialties with strong expertise for investment towards international standards, particularly in competitive fields such as cardiology, oncology, robotic surgery, assisted reproduction, paediatrics, dentistry, cosmetic medicine, specialised health check-ups, traditional medicine and rehabilitation. Through this MOU, the US Department of State, working with Congress, plans to provide 98.75 million USD in life-saving global health assistance over the next five years, including 21.385 million USD in dedicated Global Health Security funding, to support Vietnam’s transition to full country ownership of its HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programmes while strengthening its capacity to detect and respond to emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats. The cooperation will also support Vietnam in strengthening its healthcare capacity and gradually enhancing self-reliance in HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis prevention and control programmes, as well as in responding to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Health on September 10 reviewed a pilot programme combining hospital-based practice with work at grassroots health stations and organised the fourth healthcare job fair, attracting nearly 1,000 candidates and 94 recruiters offering 806 positions. Vietnam will launch nationwide screening for five groups of school-related diseases and health conditions among students from preschool through high school from 2028, including overweight and obesity, refractive errors, spinal curvature, oral diseases and mental health disorders. Assoc Prof Dr Lê Dinh Thanh, Director of Thong Nhat Hospital, said the transplantation was the result of long-term preparation, spanning the development of medical protocols, training, infrastructure upgrades, and interdisciplinary coordination. An expert has stressed that geriatric care must go beyond treating acute illnesses to include rehabilitation, occupational therapy, nutrition and self-care guidance, helping older people maintain independence and quality of life. According to the infectious disease surveillance system, nearly 100,000 cases were reported so far this year, more than 2.5 times over the same period last year. The number of cases remains high in southern cities and provinces. According to the Hanoi Department of Health, the city has 4,776 educational institutions with more than 2.2 million preschool and school students. The health campaign will run from August 18 to September 4, targeting 100% coverage before the new school year begins. The healthcare sector has undergone significant transformation in recent years to realise the Politburo’s Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW on breakthrough solutions to improve healthcare delivery and public health. The two-day forum features high-level policy discussions and dialogues between State management agencies and the business community, as well as international experiences from Malaysia, China, and other partners. According to the Hanoi Centre for Disease Control (CDC), 316 dengue cases were recorded across 74 communes and wards in the city from August 7-14, up 81 from the previous week. Eleven new outbreaks were also reported, bringing the total number since the beginning of 2026 to 63, with 24 still active. Medical tourists to Vietnam currently mainly comprise overseas Vietnamese and visitors from Cambodia, Laos, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia and several European countries. Popular services include cosmetic dentistry, assisted reproduction, aesthetic medicine, general health check-ups and some advanced medical specialties. Ho Chi Minh City’s participation in the global Cities for Better Health network marks a step forward in implementing its Action Plan through 2030, with a focus on tackling overweight and obesity, particularly among school-age children. Associate Prof., Dr Tran Vinh Hung, Director of Binh Dan Hospital, said the hospital became Vietnam’s first medical facility to perform robotic surgery on adults in late 2016, marking a major milestone for the country’s surgical sector. The two sides aim to pursue joint investment, research, scientific publications, and the development of advanced biomedical products, leveraging the strengths of both research institutes and the two countries. From 2027, the national pre-hospital emergency management platform will be put into operation, connecting data with the 113, 114 and 115 emergency call systems to facilitate rapid emergency dispatch and improve public access to emergency services. With robot-assisted surgery costing tens of thousands of dollars in the US and Singapore, a growing number of international patients are traveling to Vietnam for robotic cancer surgery, including procedures for prostate, gynecological and gastrointestinal cancers, using the US made da Vinci Xi system at costs starting from just 3,000 USD. Copyright, VietnamPlus, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Editor-in-chief, Mr. Tran Tien Duan.