Vietnam, Hungary strengthen cooperation in medical training
Semmelweis University of Hungary has initiated a student exchange programme based on agreements signed with the Hanoi Medical University and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, in Ho Chi Minh City.
Representatives of the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training have a meeting with those from Hungary (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)
Hanoi (VNA)ꦇ - Semmelweis University of Hungary has initiated a student exchange programme based on agreements signed with the Hanoi Medical University and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, in Ho Chi Minh City.
Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc had a meeting with Hungarian Ambassador to Vietnam Tibor Baloghdi, and Rector of Semmelweis University Bela Merkely to discuss how to enhance educational cooperation between the two countries, especially in medical training.
According to Merkely, with its 250-year development history, Semmelweis University is the leading higher medical education institution in Hungary. It focuses on three main activities of education, innovative research, and healthcare, an internationally recognized centre of knowledge.
Participants at the reception (Photo: VietnamPlus)
Currently, international students account for one-third of the more than 16,000 students in the establishment, including approximately 35 Vietnamese students.
The university not only trains doctors but also provides comprehensive training in various health science disciplines such as dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, midwifery, public health inspection, and health tourism management.
Merkely said besides direct enrollment, Vietnamese students can access study opportunities at the university through long-term and short-term scholarship programmes.
During this visit to Vietnam, Semmelweis University established educational partnerships and initiated a student exchange programme based on agreements signed with Hanoi Medical University and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City.
Ambassador Baloghdi affirmed that the effective coordination between the embassy and the Ministry of Education and Training in recent times has established a convenient process for implementing admissions for this scholarship programme.
Direct visits and working sessions are opportunities for the two sides to better understand each other’s demands, thus making proposals to build stronger cooperative relationships, the diplomat said.
Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc speaks at the meeting (Photo: VietnamPlus)
Sharing the joy on excellent cooperation between Vietnam and Hungary in general, and the relationship between Semmelweis University and Vietnamese medical universities in particular, Phuc stated that Hungary offers very good quality education. Vietnamese students and researchers trained in Hungary have made significant contributions to the socioeconomic development of the country after returning home.
The most prominent aspect of education and training cooperation between Vietnam and Hungary is the student exchange programme through scholarships provided by the Hungarian government to Vietnam. During the Hungarian Prime Minister’s visit to Vietnam in September 2017, Hungary announced the provision of 200 scholarships to Vietnam annually for various fields of study.
Deputy Minister Phuc said healthcare education is a highly attractive field for students, but it is also very challenging. He added that the ministry always encourages cooperation between Vietnamese medical universities and Semmelweis University.
Currently, the ministry is implementing educational cooperation programmes between Vietnam and Hungary for the 2022-2024 period, fully utilising the 200 scholarships that the Hungarian government grants to Vietnam annually. It encourages universities to engage in bilateral education cooperation in all training fields.
The cooperation agreement will expire on December 31, 2024. Therefore, the ministry proposed the two sides sign a cooperation agreement for the 2025-2027 period to have a legal basis for implementing cooperation activities in the new phase./.
National Assembly Vice Chairman Tran Quang Phuong and First Officer of the Hungarian National Assembly Márta Mátrai co-chaired the fifth legislative conference on strengthening parliamentary supervision of bilateral cooperation agreements between the two countries, in Hanoi on April 16.
National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on April 16 said that Vietnam always values and wishes to strengthen multifaceted cooperation with Hungary, a traditional partner and the only comprehensive partner of Vietnam in the Central Eastern European region when receiving First Officer of the Hungarian National Assembly Márta Mátrai in Hanoi.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed Vietnam's enduring commitment to nurturing the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Hungary during his meeting with Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly (NA) Jakab István in Budapest on January 19.
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.