The Ministry of Health (MoH) has demanded stricter disease prevention and accelerated COVID-19 vaccinations in a document recently sent to provincial-level administrations, epidemiology and Pasteur institutes, and hospitals nationwide.
A student gets vaccinated against COVID-19 in Ha Nam province. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Health (MoH) has demanded stricter disease prevention and accelerated COVID-19 vaccinations in a document recently sent to provincial-level administrations, epidemiology and Pasteur institutes, and hospitals nationwide.
The MoH pointed out that the global COVID-19 pandemic is forecast to remain complicated and unpredictable with the appearance of new variants.
In Vietnam, the pandemic has been basically put under control, but the number of new infections, hospitalisations, and deaths have been on the rise recently, with over 2,000 infections documented daily on average and new sub-variants of Omicron including BA.4, BA.5, BA2.74, and BA 2.12.1 that are more contagious than the original strains recorded in many localities.
Meanwhile, vaccine coverage expansion has become stagnant in certain places and the inoculation rate among children is still low, the ministry noted, stressing risks of other infectious diseases like monkeypox and acute hepatitis.
The MoH urged sustained vigilance and drastic and effective implementation of anti-pandemic measures to prevent COVID-19.
The ministry also asked localities to set up special working groups with the participation of local administrations, health and related authorities to ramp up and complete vaccinations for all age groups as soon as possible.
It also ordered health departments, hospitals and epidemiology and Pasteur institutes to ensure sufficient drugs, medical supplies and personnel for disease prevention and control; consolidate the anti-pandemic forces; and improve benefits for health workers.
Besides, it is necessary to keep a close watch on the pandemic, especially the appearance of new variants, while making response plans to cope with any circumstances, the MoH added.
As of late September 14, Vietnam has recorded 11,448,034 cases of COVID-19, including 10,393,632 recoveries and 43,132 deaths.
Up to 258,934,825 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered as of September 13, according to the MoH./
A new media campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic for the “new normal” was launched by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Hanoi on September 12, aiming to promote the theme “For a strong and healthy Vietnam”.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 13 chaired the 17th meeting of the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, which gathered participants from the 63 provinces and cities across the country.
The Ministry of Health has issued a guidance on the wearing of masks in public places for COVID-19 prevention and control, clarifying to who and where it is a must.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 13 stressed the need to remove all obstacles in bidding and procurement of medicine, medical equipment and bio-products within this month so as to avoid the disruption in their supply caused by administrative procedures, legal problems or a lack of responsibility among public officials.
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.
A student gets vaccinated against COVID-19 in Ha Nam province. (Photo: VNA) 
