Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long (second, left) receives the token of 400,000 medical masks from Nitin Kapoor, Chairman of AstraZeneca Vietnam (second, right). (Photo courtersy of the British Embassy in Vietnam)
Hanoi (VNA) – The UK-based AstraZeneca Company has donated400,000 medical masks to the Ministryof Health to support Vietnam's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The handover ceremony on May 19 was attended by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward, and Head of TradePromotion, Economic and Political Affairs of the Swedish Embassy in Vietnam JohanAlvin.
“We are touched by the lifesaving work of Vietnamese healthcareworkers who have helped British nationals infected by COVID-19 in Vietnam, andcontinue to be reassured by the collective efforts of the Vietnamese governmentand people in responding to COVID-19,” Gareth Ward spoke at the event.
“This donation by AstraZeneca is a strong example of how theUK-Vietnam strategic partnership, celebrating this year its 10th anniversary,is driven forward by cross-sector partners, who want to make meaningful andlong-lasting contributions to Vietnamese society,” he said.
Nitin Kapoor, Chairman of AstraZeneca Vietnam, said:“AstraZeneca truly appreciates Vietnam’s effective measures in fighting thepandemic.”
The donations aim to enhance theeffectiveness of COVID-19 prevention and add on the company’s donation to fundthe procurement of specified medical protection equipment for healthcareworkers at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in March, he said.
Kapoor further noted that by leveraging digital engagement,his firm has connected more than 5,000 Vietnamese healthcare practitioners withglobal clinical expertise to equip them with the latest knowledge on COVID-19as they continue to care for especially vulnerable patients with diseases suchas asthma, diabetes and cancer.
♕ AstraZeneca, a global, science-led biopharmaceuticalcompany, has deep heritage in both Sweden and the UK, with strategic R&D,manufacturing and commercial operations based in both countries./.
The Vietnamese Association in the UK (VAUK) has raised funds to buy 1,100 protective suits and 2,500 face masks to support the UK's National Health Service (NHS) amid the serious spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
UK-based Telegraph called Vietnam “an under-reported success story of the pandemic” in an article published on April 23, given that the country had reported, by that time, just 268 cases and zero deaths.
The State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a ceremony in Hanoi on May 8 to receive medical supplies from the Flamingo Holding Group to assist overseas Vietnamese in Russia, the UK, and France fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long (second, left) receives the token of 400,000 medical masks from Nitin Kapoor, Chairman of AstraZeneca Vietnam (second, right). (Photo courtersy of the British Embassy in Vietnam)
