It is a must to produce COVID-19 vaccines, treatment drugs at home: PM
It is a must to produce COVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs domestically, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at a meeting with representatives from ministries and agencies in Hanoi on November 27.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – It is a must to produceCOVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs domestically, Prime Minister Pham MinhChinh said at a meeting with representatives from ministries and agencies in Hanoi onNovember 27.
He regarded the “5K principle”, vaccines, treatmentdrugs, technologies, public awareness and other solutions as crucial factors tosafely and flexibly adapt to and effectively control the pandemic.
The “5K principle” was issued by the Ministry of Health,covering khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach(distance), khong tu tap (no gathering), and khai bao y te (health declaration).
PM Chinh applauded the Ministry of Health and relevantministries and agencies, especially scientists, researchers and producers ofCOVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs for their efforts over the past time.
He called for closer coordination to removedifficulties in research as well as administrative and legal procedures,striving to produce COVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs at home.
The nation’s interests, and the public’s health andlife must be the top priority, the PM emphasised.
PM Chinh assigned the Ministry of Health to coordinate withother relevant ministries and agencies to review institutions to facilitate theprocess.
The Ministry of Health reported that as of November 25, Vietnamhad administered about 116.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with 47.4million people fully vaccinated.
The country has engaged in technology transfer, researchand trial of such vaccines as Nano Covax, COVIVAC, ARCT-154, HIPRA, Sputnik V,Shionogi and some vaccines of Cuba and India. Six factories have registered forCOVID-19 treatment drug production./.
More than 8.8 million pandemic-hit people in Ho Chi Minh City had received assistance worth over 12 trillion VND (529.27 billion USD) as of November 21, announced the municipal Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.
The Ministry of Health announced 13,109 new cases of COVID-19 in Vietnam on November 26, bringing the national tally since the start of the pandemic to 1,181,337.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh put forward four proposals to enhance cooperation among Asian and European countries while addressing the 13th Asia - Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit via videoconference on November 26.
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.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA) 
