Vietnam has full capacity to perform COVID-19 diagnostic testing: official
Vietnam has full capacity and enough kits to perform diagnostic tests for the virus SARS-CoV2 that causes COVID-19, said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long in a meeting on February 24.
Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long speaks at the meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Hanoi on February 24. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has full capacity and enough kits to performdiagnostic tests for the virus SARS-CoV2 that causes COVID-19, said Deputy Minister of Health NguyenThanh Long in a meeting on February 24.
The countrynow has 10,000 test kits provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) withthe accuracy similar to those in other countries, he told a meeting of the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control in Hanoi.
The test kitinvolves real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) soit is highly sensitive and effective, he said.
WHO hastransferred standard technique for detecting the novel coronavirus for threequalified medical facilities in Vietnam – the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi MinhCity, the Pasteur Institute of Nha Trang and the Central Institute of Hygieneand Epidemiology in Hanoi, according to the deputy minister.
Thesefacilities then have cooperated with WHO to transfer the technique and requiredequipment to 22 medical laboratories, whose staff has also received relevant training. The labsare now capable of producing reliable test results, he said.
Regarding a12-grade schoolgirl in Phu Loc, Thua Thien-Hue who died after suffering aweek-long fever, cough and shortness of breath, the symptoms similar to thoseof the COVID-19, Deputy Minister Long said her body fluid tested negative with SARS-CoV2 by the Hue Central Hospital and theresult was confirmed in the second testing by the Pasteur Institute of Ho ChiMinh City.
He noted thatin some special cases, the Ministry of Health will request tests to beperformed by at least two facilities to ensure the accuracy./.
The US stands ready to cooperate with Vietnam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the fight against the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), US officials said at a recent meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in the country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has adopted a number of measures to protect Vietnamese citizens living in the Republic of Korea (RoK), which reported a huge rise in the number of confirmed new coronavirus (COVID-19) infection cases over the last few days.
Chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh lauded Vinh Phuc for its efforts to stem the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak during a visit to the northern province on February 23.
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.
Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long speaks at the meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Hanoi on February 24. (Photo: VNA)
