Vietnam eyes vaccinating children against COVID-19 in October
The Ministry of Health plans to start vaccinating children aged between 12 and 17 years old against COVID-19 this month, before expanding the vaccination to smaller age groups, informed Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan on October 9.
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Health plans to start vaccinating children aged between 12 and 17 years old against COVID-19 this month, before expanding the vaccination to smaller age groups, informed Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan on October 9.
Thuan unveiled the plan when replying to voters' opinions on the issue at an online voter meeting held by the delegation of National Assembly deputies from Ho Chi Minh City.
A large amount of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will come to Vietnam in the near future, the health official said, adding that following a request made by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc during his recent visit to Cuba, Vietnam is now waiting for Cuba's sending of a dossier on child vaccines for consideration.
Thuan said there will be no shortage of vaccine resources between now and the end of the year, with a minimum of 120 million doses expected to arrive. It is estimated that in 2021, Vietnam will see over 70 percent of its over-18-year-old population injected with one vaccine dose.
The nation has so far distributed 56 million doses of vaccines. As of October 8, some 51.4 doses had been administered, with the number of people aged 18 and older getting one shot reaching 52.3 percent./.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long on September 10 inspected COVID-19 vaccination in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh and Long Bien districts, during which he stressed the need to ensure progress and safety of the inoculation at the same time.
The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has sent a written request to the Ministry of Health seeking the support of 5,500 doses of vaccine for officials and workers at key transport projects in the southern region which are currently under construction.
Da Nang has been giving COVID-19 vaccinations for foreigners and overseas Vietnamese living in the central city to ensure they are injected at least one dose, said an official on September 21.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has still been developing complicatedly in the world, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporter had an interview with WHO Representative in Vietnam Dr Kidong Park about the booster shot and pharmaceutical firms’ announcements that their COVID-19 vaccines are efficient and safe for kids.
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.
Illustrative photo (Source: VNA) 
