Health ministry urges hospitals to prevent coronavirus
The Ministry of Health has sent an urgent dispatch to hospitals and health departments in cities and provinces to step up the early detection and good preparation for the prevention of and combat against pneumonia caused by a new strain of coronavirus.
Health officials visit the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry ofHealth has sent an urgent dispatch to hospitals and health departments incities and provinces to step up the early detection and good preparation forthe prevention of and combat against pneumonia caused by a new strain ofcoronavirus.
Medical facilities must classify patients fromthe time they come to register for examination. Those with symptoms of acuterespiratory infection such as cough or fever must be separated.
Any suspicious cases must be temporarilyisolated and reported to the ministry’s Preventive Medicine Department to takesamples for timely diagnosis.
It is necessary to increase communicationcampaigns about the disease and prevention measures.
The health ministry suggested setting up quickresponse teams to support hospitals at the lower level.
No coronavirus cases have been reported inVietnam by January 19, according to the Preventive Medicine Department.
Two Chinese people from China’s Wuhan city whowere in Vietnam were tested negative to the virus. They were dischargedfrom hospital and returned to their country, the department said.
The health ministry will continue to closelysupervise the disease at border gates, hospitals and in the community to getready for treatment and management.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO),cases of acute pneumonia caused by coronavirus were reported in Wuhancity. The first patient developed symptoms on December 12 last year. Asmany as 45 people in the city were reported to be suffering from thedisease by January 19.
The first death from the virus occurred in thecity on January 9. Two other cases have been detected in Thailand and Japanwith health authorities in both countries saying the patients had visited Wuhanprior to their hospitalisation./.
The General Department of Preventive Medicine has directed municipal and provincial health departments across the country to intensify preventive work in the face of the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China.
The Vietnam Public Health Emergency Operation Centre said it was developing response plans and preparing for worst-case scenarios following an outbreak of pneumonia in China.
The health sector is prompting actions to prevent the acute pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus (nCoV) from entering Vietnam and gear up to deal with it if infections are reported.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has ordered ministries and relevant agencies to take drastic measures to prevent acute pneumonia, caused by a novel coronavirus (nCoV), from spreading into Vietnam.
No cases of acute pneumonia, caused by a novel coronavirus (nCoV), have been reported in Vietnam by January 19, according to the Preventive Medicine Department under the Ministry of Health (MoH).
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.
Health officials visit the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) 
