Director of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases Nguyen Van Kinh speaks at the workshop in Hanoi on September 24 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – A workshop held in Hanoi onSeptember 24 pointed out that there remain numerous challenges in the diagnosisand treatment of hepatitis C in Vietnam.
Hepatitis C is one of the leading causes ofcirrhosis and liver cancer in the country, which has recorded high incidencesof hepatitis B and C.
Director of the National Hospital for TropicalDiseases Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kinh said there haven’t been any vaccines againsthepatitis C, but this disease can be treated thanks to new drugs that directlyattack the virus.
However, the access to these drugs is stilllimited due to high treatment costs, the drugs not covered by health insurance,and a lack of diagnosis and treatment services.
These are major challenges to the support forand treatment of hepatitis C patients, Kinh noted.
It is estimated that Vietnam has nearly 8million people infected with hepatitis B and 1 million others contracted hepatitisC, ranking third in the world and second in Asia in terms of hepatitisincidence.
Data released by the World Health Organisation (WHO)show that in 2017, among the nearly 1 million people infected with hepatitis C,only more than 80,000 were diagnosed, nearly 35,000 had conditions to receivetreatment, and 4,500 were treated.
Meanwhile, public awareness of hepatitis remainslow. As a result, only when the diseases become serious and develop intocirrhosis or liver cancer do they come to hospitals to have check-ups.
Therefore, people are recommended to haveregular health check-ups, take screening for hepatitis B and C, and avoiddrinking alcohol to prevent hepatitis infection.
To support Vietnam to enhance hepatitisdiagnosis and treatment, the Clinton Health Access Initiative has engaged thecountry in its Quick-Start programme, which has also involved five othernations.
Under this programme, 2,018 hepatitis C patientshave received treatment, and 98 percent of those with treatment resultsrecorded have recovered./.
Several new-generation drugs for hepatitis C treatment will be covered by the health insurance fund as part of a recently-released circular by the Ministry of Health.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) organised a workshop in Hanoi on January 8 to launch a national action plan on the eradication of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis in the 2018-2030.
The Department of Maternal and Child Health under the Ministry of Health (MoH) held a workshop in the central city of Da Nang on March 19 to launch a national action plan on the eradication of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis in the 2018-2030 period.
The number of people hospitalised in Ho Chi Minh City with contagious diseases this year has sharply increased compared with the same period a year ago, according to the city’s Preventive Medicine Centre.
A scientific conference on HIV and hepatitis-related studies of the French National Agency for Research on AIDS (ANRS) in Vietnam opened in Hanoi on June 19.
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.
Director of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases Nguyen Van Kinh speaks at the workshop in Hanoi on September 24 (Photo: VNA) 
