The 6,000th child with heart diseases has just received free surgery under a programme funded by VinaCapital Foundation, said CEO of the foundation Robin King Austin on January 16.
The heart surgery programme has benefited 6,000 disadvantaged children over the past 11 years (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – The 6,000th childwith heart diseases has just received free surgery under a programme funded byVinaCapital Foundation, said CEO of the foundation Robin King Austin on January16.
The child is Truong Thi My Yen, 5, from theMekong Delta province of Kien Giang.
Truong Minh Tri, Yen’s father said his daughterwas born with heart disease, however, his family couldn’t afford surgery, and thereforesigned up for assistance of the Heart Beat Vietnam Programme.
With the assistance of the programme, Yenreceived two operations, worth a total of 240 million VND (10,600 USD). Now,she has a healthy heart and can join with her friends at school.
Over the past 11 years, the programme hasbenefited 6,000 disadvantaged children, Robin King Austin said, attributing theachievement to continuous efforts and donation of the foundation’s partnersacross 63 localities of Vietnam.
They have helped save 6,000 lives whilereleasing the same number of families from the burden of diseases and finance,she added.
According to Dao Thi Bieu, Vice President of theVinh Long province's Association for the Support ofDisabled and Orphans, the programme has funded over 500 heartoperations for local poor children since 2007.
Bieu expressed her hope that the programme willcontinue and benefit more disadvantaged kids.
The foundation has also mobilised doctors toremote areas to screen children with cardiovascular diseases.
So far, 80,000 children in 44 localities acrossthe nation have received the screening services. Over 8,000 were detected withthe diseases.-VNA
The training provided by leading central-level hospitals in HCM City has helped doctors at provincial facilities apply latest techniques and advances to treat heart patients, reducing the need for emergency transfers.
Doctors of the HCM City-based Paediatrics Hospital No 1 have successfully performed a congenital heart surgery for a premature baby weighing 900grams, the lightest patient ever to receive the surgery.
The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of central Phu Yen province teamed up with Tam Duc Heart Hospital to provide free screening tests on congenital heart defects for local needy children on April 9.
Cardiac rehabilitation, a medically supervised programme including exercises, should be provided to patients with heart problems for them to recover after surgery, a Japanese physical therapist said.
Vietnam now boasts a nationwide healthcare network with 1,665 hospitals, 384 of which are non-public, supported by local commune- and ward-level stations. At the end of 2024, hospital bed capacity reached 34 per 10,000 people, slightly above the global average.
The 56-year-old patient from Quang Tri province was discharged in stable condition as he no longer experienced shortness of breath and was able to walk, move around, and eat normally.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Vu Trung, Director of the Pasteur Institute, said that under the MoU, the two sides committed to promoting diverse and practical collaborative activities, including joint conferences and workshops, exchanges of scholars, researchers and students, sharing academic materials, and the development of specific programmes and projects in scientific research, training, and epidemic prevention.
TytoCare, a leading Israeli telemedicine company based in Netanya, is willing to work with Vietnamese regulators, insurers, and healthcare providers to develop a sustainable digital health ecosystem.
The partnership is under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding on the development and implementation of the National Action Plan on Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control, signed in Hanoi on July 22.
An estimated 7 million Vietnamese are currently living with diabetes, but about 50% remain undiagnosed, a dangerous gap that is fuelling serious, preventable complications and increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
In 2024, Vietnam achieved 99% coverage for the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine, up from 80% in 2023. Immunisation coverage in the country has not only rebounded to the high levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic but has now surpassed the rates recorded in 2019.
Health authorities in HCM City have issued an urgent alert after six people died from dengue fever, amid a spike in infections driven by the onset of the rainy season.
During the peak months of July and August 2025, the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) needs at least 90,000 units of blood to supply 180 hospitals in the northern region. However, despite continuous efforts, the reserve blood is still short of 30,000 units.
The Hanoi ceremony highlighted efforts to ensure all citizens, especially women and youth, can access accurate information and healthcare services to make informed reproductive choices.
After such a long time, the law has revealed many limitations, prompting the Ministry of Health (MoH) to gather opinions to amend the law to give more chances to thousands of patients every year.
Currently, cardiovascular specialists from the 108 Military Central Hospital are working alongside a team of Prof.Dr. Jan D. Schmitto, Deputy Director of MHH’s Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery on clinical trials for MCS devices, implanted in heart failure patients either as a bridge to transplantation or as permanent treatment.
The centre not only serves residents living on the island, but also receives tens of thousands of visitors every year, according to Assoc Prof Dr Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the HCM CIty Department of Health.
Not only does Vietnam attract international tourists with its landscapes, culture, and cuisine, but it is also gradually becoming a reliable destination for medical treatment, offering high-quality services at reasonable costs.
Over the past six months, 150 communal health stations in provinces including Ha Giang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Tay Ninh, Hau Giang, Ben Tre and Ca Mau have been equipped with information technology systems. In addition, 117 key provincial healthcare workers have received training, with thousands more expected to follow.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Ministry of Health swiftly launched a telemedicine programme, connecting more than 1,000 medical establishments nationwide. The model, which remains in operation, has benefited tens of thousands of patients, including foreign nationals.
After more than three weeks of intensive treatment, the patient's pneumonia improved, breathing stabilised, sedation was reduced, and the breathing tube was removed. He is now conscious, able to eat orally, and in recovery.
The heart surgery programme has benefited 6,000 disadvantaged children over the past 11 years (Photo: VNA) 
