Germany offers 180,000 COVID-19 test kits to Vietnam
A Vietnam Airlines flight carrying 180,000 rapid COVID-19 test kits worth 615,000 EUR (730,290 USD) donated by Germany to Vietnam left Frankfurt airport on September 3 and is scheduled to land in Cam Ranh International Airport, south central province of Khanh Hoa, on September 4 before being handed over to Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Minh Vu (L) symbolically receives 30,000 rapid test kits presented by Berlin Christian Rickerts, State Secretary for Energy and Digital Affairs in the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises (Photo: VNA)
Berlin (VNA) – A Vietnam Airlines flight carrying 180,000 rapid COVID-19 test kits worth 615,000 EUR (730,290 USD) donatedby Germany to Vietnam left Frankfurt airport on September 3 and is scheduled toland in Cam Ranh International Airport, south central province of Khanh Hoa, on September 4 before being handed overto Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang.
The batch comprises 150,000 test kits provided by the WorldUniversity Service of Germany (WUS) and 30,000 others offered by Berlin.
Dr. Kambiz Ghawami, President of the WUS, said that the giftaims to show Germany’s solidarity with Vietnamese people, which is hoped tohelp the country control COVID-19 as soon as possible.
With the support of Vietnam Airlines, in May 2020, the WUSreceived more than 200,000 face masks as gifts of Vietnam to Germany, he noted,adding that this was evidence of the solidarity between friends that always stand shoulder by shoulder through difficulties.
Earlier on August 19 in Berlin, Vietnamese Ambassador toGermany Nguyen Minh Vu symbolically received 30,000 rapid test kits presentedby Berlin./.
Two more SARS-CoV-2 test kits produced by Vietnam have been approved by the European Union and listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as eligible for emergency use, one of which can produce results in just 30 minutes.
Vietnam has announced plans to resume international flight routes, which is a good sign for economic recovery and especially the airline and tourism industries post-pandemic. How best to ensure safety is a major concern for relevant agencies, however. Rapid virus testing at airports will be a focus, so that safety can be guaranteed.
The army’s efforts in fighting COVID-19 and implementing the national vaccination programme were highlighted at a press conference in Hanoi on April 9.
Thailand on July 19 recorded 11,784 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. This is the fourth day in a row the Southeast Asian country has logged the highest number of new cases since the pandemic broke out.
Residents in Ho Chi Minh City will be able to conduct a COVID-19 self-test at home by using rapid antigen testing (RAT), as part of a pilot scheme by the municipal Department of Health (DoH).
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 Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Minh Vu (L) symbolically receives 30,000 rapid test kits presented by Berlin Christian Rickerts, State Secretary for Energy and Digital Affairs in the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises (Photo: VNA) 
