If the trials show good results, the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC plans to administer Nanocovax to the public in May 2021. (Photo: VOV)
Hanoi (VNA) – About 200 people haveregistered to participate in the clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine Nanocovax,a health official said on December 16.
Developed by the Nanogen PharmaceuticalBiotechnology JSC and the Vietnam Military Medical University, Nanocovax isVietnam's first COVID-19 candidate vaccine to reach the human trial stage.
According to Nguyen Ngo Quang, Deputy Director ofthe Health Ministry’s Department of Science, Technology and Training, 60 peopleaged between 18 and 50 will be selected among the volunteers for the firstphase of the trials.
The test will last for 56 days from the day given ofthe first injection. The participants will be under medical monitoring for sixmonths.
The Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC hasspent 20 billion VND (865,946 USD) buying a health insurance package for thevolunteers.
If the trials show good results, the drug-makerplans to administer Nanocovax to the public in May 2021.
Apart from Nanocovax, Vietnam has several otherCOVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed by Vabiotech, Polyvac, and theInstitute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals.
Vietnam reported no new COVID-19 infections on December16, with the tally standing at 1,405, according to the National SteeringCommittee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.
Of the total, 693 cases were transmitteddomestically. December 16 marked the 15th consecutive day withoutcommunity-transmitted infections in the country.
As of December 16 afternoon, 1,252 patients had beengiven the all-clear. The fatalities remain at 35.
Among patients still under treatment, three havetested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, six twice and six thrice.
A total of 18,378 people who had close contact withCOVID-19 patients or arrived from pandemic-hit areas are being quarantinednationwide, with 207 at hospitals, 15,567 at concentration facilities and 2,804at home or their accommodations./.
Indonesia should establish closer bilateral cooperation with other countries, including the UAE, for post-pandemic recovery, said Indonesian Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on December 14 that the country had approved the use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German firm BioNTech, with the first shipment due to arrive in Singapore by the end of December.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said that the Ministers of Health and Finance have already signed a deal to obtain 20 percent of a vaccine through COVAX.
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.
If the trials show good results, the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC plans to administer Nanocovax to the public in May 2021. (Photo: VOV) 
