Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Denmark have officially launched Phase 3 of their health partnership, aiming to support Vietnam in transforming its healthcare system amid shifting disease patterns, with a continued focus on strengthening primary healthcare.
Phase 3 of the partnership was formally initiated at a meeting on June 23 between Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong and Dr Jonas Egebart, Director General of the Danish Health Authority. The event reaffirmed both sides’ shared commitment to promoting healthy lives and well-being for all.
Under this phase, the Danish Health Authority will assist Vietnam in enhancing primary healthcare delivery and reforming the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as the Southeast Asian country has undertaken broad administrative and healthcare reforms.
Denmark underwent a major administrative restructuring in 2007, reducing the number of regional and local administrative units and decentralising responsibilities for disease prevention and rehabilitation.
Building on that experience, Denmark is currently advancing reforms to strengthen general practice, public health services at the local level, and the integration of healthcare services.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr Egebart highlighted similarities in the two countries’ reform journeys.
Vietnam is undergoing a significant and ambitious administrative transformation, including in the health sector, Dr Egebart said. Denmark has taken a similar path and is ready to share its policy insights and lessons. Investing in primary healthcare and prevention not only makes economic sense but also builds healthier, more resilient communities.
Vietnam is currently reshaping its grassroots healthcare system to better serve a rapidly ageing population, address changing disease burdens, and meet rising public expectations fuelled by economic growth.
Phase 3 builds upon achievements made since the partnership was established in 2016. It focuses on policy framework development, support for integrated care models, and strengthening local capacities in disease prevention, early detection, and management of NCDs.
Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolai Prytz reiterated Denmark’s pride in being a trusted partner of Vietnam.
He noted that the new phase will emphasise deeper cooperation, policy reform support, and the sharing of Danish expertise in health governance, life sciences, and public health.
During the visit, the Danish delegation held working sessions with the Ministry of Health to discuss priority areas such as primary care, NCD management, and pathways for expanding bilateral health cooperation.
Dr Egebart also delivered a keynote speech at the high-level roundtable on health systems in transition, co-hosted by the Danish Embassy and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Vietnam.
The event featured strategic dialogues between Vietnamese health leaders and development partners on ways to strengthen Vietnam’s healthcare system to meet evolving health demands and future challenges.
The discussions drew on both international and domestic experience, particularly Denmark’s longstanding healthcare reform model. /.
