Vietnam responds to COVID-19 with drastic actions: WHO official
Vietnam has responded to COVID-19 clusters and cases with vigorous actions and it is on the right track in addressing current outbreaks, said Dr Kidong Park, Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Vietnam.
Hanoi to test over 6,000 returnees from Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam has responded to COVID-19clusters and cases with vigorous actions andit is on the right track in addressing current outbreaks, said Dr Kidong Park, Representative of the World HealthOrganisation (WHO) in Vietnam.
Talking to the press, Park said WHO believes that with its capacity,Vietnam can curb the on-going outbreak through a whole-of-society approach,which has been oriented by the National Steering Committee for COVID-19Prevention and Control right since the pandemic hit the country.
Dr Kidong Park, Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Vietnam (Photo: VNA)
According to the WHO official, outbreaks inmany provinces and cities have basically been put under control but somelocalities are still facing challenges, such as Ho Chi Minh City where more cases and clusters of unknown sources werereported.
With thorough tracing and large-scale testing, it isexpected that localities will detect more infections, especially those in theF1 groups, he said.
Park recommendedVietnam to coordinate actions from all ministriesand sectors and good compliance of the public to quickly control theoutbreaks.
He also underlined the need to seriously implement and strengthen publichealth measures, and communication work, and expand the coverage of COVID-19vaccination.
WHO has been and will continue working closely with the Ministry of Health toprovide the most updated scientific evidence to support the Government ofVietnam in its making decisions to cope with the pandemic, the officialstressed./.
Ho Chi Minh City's Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has decided to put into operation a 1,000 resuscitation centre amid increasingly complicated developments of the epidemic in the southern hub.
The Ministry of Health has released guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of rare heart inflammation issues following receiving the COVID-19 vaccination.
The Government has issued Resolution 73/NQ-CP on the procurement of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, which approved the Ministry of Health’s proposal for the negotiation for 40 million doses.
Vietnam logged an additional 466 COVID-19 cases in the past 12 hours to 6am on July 13, including one imported in the southern province of Tay Ninh, reported the Ministry of Health.
Though exports remain strong, several sectors face difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic and require support from the Government if they are to sustain the growth, experts said.
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.
Hanoi to test over 6,000 returnees from Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA) 
Dr Kidong Park, Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Vietnam (Photo: VNA) 
