An exchange note on a non-refundable aid for COVID-19 prevention and control was signed between the Vietnamese and Japanese governments on September 7.
Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long (L) and Japanese Ambassador Yamada Takio sign the exchange note in Hanoi on September 7 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – An exchange note on anon-refundable aid for COVID-19 prevention and control was signed between theVietnamese and Japanese governments on September 7.
On the behalf of the two governments, ActingMinister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long and Japanese Ambassador Yamada Takiosigned the note.
The ODA grant is worth 2 billion JPY (18.8million USD) in total, including 1.8 billion JPY for the Vietnamese side andabout 200 million JPY for the agents designated by the Japanese Government. Itwill be disbursed in 18 months, from August 2020 to January 2022.
The assistance aims to provide technical supportin upgrading medical equipment at four hospitals of the Vietnamese Health Ministry,namely the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, the National Lung Hospital,the Da Nang C Hospital, and the National Institute of Hematology and BloodTransfusion, thereby helping to improve their capacity in COVID-19 preventionand control.
Appreciating the grant, Acting Health MinisterLong expressed his hope that the equipment will be provided for the hospitalssoon, asking them to use the new facilities as efficiently as possible so as tocontinually improve the quality of health examination and treatment.
For his part, Ambassador Yamada Takio said the JapaneseGovernment highly values the Health Ministry of Vietnam’s role in successfullycontaining the novel coronavirus in the country although this pandemic is stillravaging around the globe.
He also noted when Japan faced a face maskshortage in spring, the Vietnamese Government supported it with over 1.2million masks, adding that the Japanese people appreciated the gift.
The grant for the four central hospitals ofVietnam is an initiative of the Japanese Foreign Minister that is meant tosupply medical equipment for other countries, including Vietnam, in the fastestmanner to promote their healthcare capacity, the diplomat added./.
The 4th meeting of the Vietnam-Japan Joint Committee on Cooperation in Industry, Trade and Energy was held in Hanoi on August 7 in the form of video conferencing.
Climate change mitigation and adaptation, marine waste management, environmentally sustainable cities, and air and water pollution are among cooperation areas targeted by Vietnam and Japan in the time ahead.
Vietnam appreciated Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s important contributions to the development of Vietnam-Japan relations for the sake of the two countries’ people and for peace, prosperity, cooperation and development in the region and the world, said the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang.
Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan on September 4 held virtual talks with Vice Chairman of the Presidium of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) and Head of its International Department Ogata Yasuo.
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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.
Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long (L) and Japanese Ambassador Yamada Takio sign the exchange note in Hanoi on September 7 (Photo: VNA) 
