Infectious disease risk still serious, Health Ministry says
The risk of infectious disease in Vietnam is still high, with cases of infection likely to increase from now to the end of the year, according to the Ministry of Health.
Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien at the conference on diseases. (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The risk of infectious disease in Vietnam is still high, with cases of infection likely to increase from now to the end of the year, according to the Ministry of Health.
At an online conference on diseases with the participation of Hanoi, HCM City, Nha Trang and Central Highlands, Tran Dac Phu, head of the Department of Preventive Medicine, said dengue fever is likely to increase in the South and the Central Highlands.
From the beginning of this year, Vietnam has recorded 72,372 cases of dengue fever in 52 provinces and cities, an increase from 2015.
The country recorded 27,000 cases of hand-foot-mouth disease in 62 provinces and cities, a reduction of 16 percent.
According to Phu, many diseases were likely to emerge in Vietnam unless the country implemented aggressive measures against them.
Speaking at the conference, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said the Zika virus has been increasing worldwide and Vietnam has recorded some patients.
Diseases like dengue fever, hand-foot-mouth, diphtheria, seasonal flu, and malaria have a high risk of outbreak in many localities.
Tien asked the health sector to focus on prevention, discovery and treatment and control to fight diseases effectively.
🧔 The sector was urged to boost monitoring, identify emerging diseases and improve the rate of vaccination, especially in remote areas where ethnic groups live.-VNA
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.
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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.
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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.
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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 Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien at the conference on diseases. (Source: VNA)
