Health

In Vietnam, dengue fever consistently records cyclical increases, especially during the rainy season. In recent years many localities have recorded high numbers of cases, putting significant pressure on the healthcare system and directly impacting the health, daily lives and economy of the people.

In Vietnam, an estimated 6 million people live with rare diseases, about 58% of whom are children, while nearly 30% of affected children die before the age of five due to delayed diagnosis or limited access to appropriate treatment.

Commending the Hanoi – Vientiane General Hospital’s 13-year development, Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tam noted that prioritising conscience and virtue has helped it build a strong reputation among Lao citizens, the Vietnamese community and international friends in Laos.

Human resources remain decisive, as no matter how advanced equipment becomes, it is doctors who directly deliver care and sustain patients’ confidence, said Party General Secretary To Lam.

When patients pull through from the brink of death, when their vital signs stabilise and transplanted hearts begin beating strongly in new bodies, the joy shared by the entire medical team is overwhelming. And when the country welcomes the New Year, saving lives takes on an even more profound significance — offering patients and their families a new spring of hope.

The under-five mortality rate in Vietnam in 2025 was estimated at below 16 per 1,000 live births, more than three times lower than the 1990 level. The infant mortality rate (under one year) declined fourfold to below 11 per 1,000, while the neonatal mortality rate dropped fivefold, from 44 per 1,000 in 1990 to 8.8 per 1,000 in 2025.

The schemes focus primarily on cancer, rare diseases and severe chronic conditions, areas where treatment costs are high and often require expensive biological and originator drugs.

From demanding cross-country transplants to highly specialised procedures nearing regional and international standards, the sector has created new chances of survival for thousands of patients. However, persistent bottlenecks in organ donation and the legal framework highlight the urgent need to further perfect the national donation–transplantation system. In the era of advanced medicine, progress is measured not only by surgical mastery, but also by the ability to turn loss into hope and sustain life.

The surgery was carried out in the early morning of February 23 (the seventh day of the Lunar New Year), marking the hospital’s ninth heart transplant from a brain-dead donor.

Accordingly, provincial and municipal health departments are required to direct hospitals, centres for disease control and health care facilities to urgently develop plans and carry out medicine procurement to ensure sufficient supply, absolutely avoiding shortages. Medicines must meet quality standards and be sold at reasonable prices, with no sudden price increases allowed.

At around 16:20 the same day, the lane was activated at Bac Luan II Bridge area to allow an ambulance bearing license plate 15N-049.80 to transfer 63-year-old Chinese man Zhang Huizhong, who had suffered a cerebral infarction, to China for immediate treatment.

To build a resilient healthcare system capable of meeting the challenges of ageing, emerging diseases and rising expectations for quality care, Vietnam must continue to strengthen primary and preventive care, invest in human resources, accelerate digitalisation and big data development, and refine healthcare financing mechanisms.

An airport representative said Noi Bai has tightened health controls around the clock, with close coordination between the International Health Quarantine unit and the airport’s emergency medical team helping detect abnormal signs early and ensuring the aviation gateway remains safe and smooth.

Local authorities have been instructed to strengthen disease prevention and control measures at border gates, medical facilities and in the community, stay updated with global disease information, and closely monitor inbound travellers.

Nipah virus infection is designated a Group A infectious disease, with reported fatality rates of between 40 and 75%. At present, no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment is available. The virus is mainly transmitted from animals to humans or through contact with contaminated food and objects, and can also spread between people via direct contact with bodily fluids and secretions of infected patients.

Vietnam has recorded no cases of Nipah virus infection as of January 26, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH), which has instructed localities to step up surveillance and preventive measures and remain ready to respond to any potential outbreak.

Member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said the Politburo's Resolution No. 72 provides a breakthrough orientation for the protection, care and improvement of the people’s health. It places the people’s health at the centre of all healthcare policies and services, while aiming to address long-standing bottlenecks in the health sector that have yet to be fundamentally resolved.

Ensuring medical security, disease prevention and control, food safety, environmental hygiene, and readiness to handle all medical contingencies is among the key tasks directly contributing to the success of the 14th National Party Congress.

The Hanoi Medical University Elderly Health Care - Medical Complex is designed as a multi-functional integrated hub combining high-quality medical services, education and clinical training, scientific research, technology transfer and comprehensive elderly care, forming a synchronised healthcare–education–research ecosystem.

As Vietnam’s population ages rapidly, Dr Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Vietnam, identified two strategic priorities: strengthening primary healthcare and developing a formal long-term care system. These measures are essential not only for healthy ageing, but also as long-term investments with wide-ranging socio-economic returns.