Hanoi (VNA) –💟 A virtual forumfocusing on treatment for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the new normal tookplace on September 22.
Titled “Digital Remedies for Healthcare inthe New Normal –Strengthening NCD care”, the event was held by the Ministry ofHealth together with the British Embassy in Vietnam, the UK-ASEAN BusinessCouncil and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council. Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister ofHealth Nguyen Truong Son said that Vietnam has been able to bring COVID-19under control as the country has no locally-transmitted cases to report for thepast 20 days. However, scientific evidence and reality inVietnam show that COVID-19 poses higher risks to the elderly and people with NCDs,including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and end-stage renal failure. The medical system is bearing the brunt ofboth communicable and non communicable diseases, he pointed out. Vietnam has rolled out some measures tobattle the pandemic and NCDs at the same time, such as building recommendationsfor the elderly and people suffering from chronic diseases, as well asproviding remote health checkups and treatment, among others. Medical experts at the forum discusseddigital remedies for healthcare in the new normal, impact of COVID-19 on NCDtreatment in the region, along with solutions to respond to such diseases andthe role of digital technologies in healthcare. NCDs have been on the rise as they are thecause for 71 percent of deaths across the globe. The burden of health and costshas been more severe to the vulnerable in the context of COVID-19./.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Vietnam, accounting for 17.9 percent and 19.9 percent of total deaths caused by diseases in the country in 2010 and 2017, respectively.
The Ministry of Health kicked off a five-year project on developing district- and commune-level healthcare systems in 13 provinces nationwide at an online conference held on August 25.
During the 2021-2025 period, the health sector will push strong and comprehensive reform to meet rising public demand for health care and protection, striving to achieve high rankings in health care as compared to ASEAN and Western Pacific nations.
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.
At the forum (Photo: moh.gov.vn) 
