Health ministry cracks down on sale of antibiotics
The Ministry of Health has launched a project wherein by 2020, all pharmacies will be required to sell antibiotics only to patients carrying doctors’ prescriptions.
Hanoi (VNA) -The Ministry of Health has launched a project wherein by 2020, all pharmacieswill be required to sell antibiotics only to patients carrying doctors’prescriptions.
The ministry will workwith local health departments in the first phase, to conduct the project in thenorthern provinces of Nam Dinh, Vinh Phuc, central city of Da Nang and MekongDelta city of Can Tho.
In the second phase,between 2018 and 2020, the project will be expanded to other provinces andcities nationwide.
The project aims totighten the control over prescriptions and selling prescribed drugs, to reduceantibiotic resistance, misuse and abuse.
According to a surveyrelated to antibiotic prescriptions at pharmacies in northern localities,awareness of residents about antibiotics and antibiotic resistance remains low,especially among those in rural areas.
In urban areas, 88 percentof antibiotics are sold without prescriptions, while it is 91 percent in ruralareas.
The latest informationreleased showed that some 30 percent of patients at the National Children’sHospital suffer from drug-resistant bacteria stemming from the improper use ofantibiotics.-VNA
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Ministry of Health to inspect the observation of regulations in antibiotic prescription and use in medical facilities.
A meeting was held in Hanoi on August 2 to launch Vietnam’s national action plan for the reduction of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in livestock production and aquaculture in the 2017-2020 period.
The over-prescription of antibiotics caused a common gastrointestinal bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance, experts said at a recent conference on digestion held by Bach Mai Hospital and the Japanese Nagoya University in Hanoi.
Despite storm-related disruptions and flight delays, the organs were successfully transported via a combination of air and ground travel. All patients are currently stable and recovering well.
The patient, Tieu Viet But, born in 1970 and residing in Binh Tri commune, Binh Son district, the central province of Quang Ngai, was working aboard fishing vessel Qng – 95657TS when the incident occurred at 7:00 am.
All drugs entering hospitals must have a clear origin, so counterfeit drugs are only in the market, not in hospital, affirmed Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan.
To achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2045, Vietnam is prioritising the integration of AI and digital tools into the training of future doctors, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung, Dean of Medicine at University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University (VNU) Hanoi.
Health experts called for collective disease prevention and integrated solutions to achieve zero dengue deaths in the country at an online talk show on June 14.
The PM called for closer, broader, and more effective cooperation with Vietnamese partners, guided by the principles of mutual benefit, joint efforts, shared outcomes, and common development, including promoting stronger public-private partnerships and collaboration with businesses.
Renowned for its expertise in complex surgeries, the hospital has attracted foreign patients seeking treatment for conditions such as kidney and urinary tract stones, urological and gastrointestinal cancers, and male reproductive disorders. Most procedures are performed using advanced techniques, including laparoscopy and robotic surgery. T
Leading Vietnamese companies specialising in respiratory and dermatological treatments, traditional medicine, immune support supplements, and functional foods will have an opportunity to connect with international distributors and secure export deals.
The project aimed to enable early detection and reduce the risk of dangerous complications, targeting patients with chronic diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and metabolic disorders.
A 2023 report by the Vietnam Health Economics Association estimated that the total cost of tobacco-related healthcare and economic losses reached 108 trillion VND (4.14 billion USD) annually – equivalent to 1.14% of GDP and five times higher than the budget revenue generated by the tobacco industry.
All eligible patients will receive surgical interventions and post-operative care in accordance with Vietnamese medical standards and global care protocols.
Medical screenings and surgical interventions for children with disabilities are being carried out at health centers across Dien Bien. So far this year, 242 children have been identified for diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and the provision of assistive devices.
The Red Journey has become the country’s largest and most effective blood donation campaign, leaving a strong impression on the national voluntary blood donation movement.
This case marks the ninth fetal cardiac intervention conducted in HCM City, and it was considered the most technically demanding to date due to the fetus’s extremely early gestational age and the severity of the condition as diagnosed with aortic atresia.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place one day after the VNVC Vaccine JS Company and Sanofi Group exchanged cooperation documents on vaccine production technology transfer under the witness of State President Luong Cuong and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Vietnam’s traditional medicine took centre stage at the International Congress Biopharm Nonclinical Development, BioNCiD 2025, held on May 25-26 in the Cuban city of Varadero, amid growing global interest in sustainable healthcare solutions.
Under the agreement, VNVC and Sanofi will gradually implement technology transfers to enable domestic production of several key Sanofi vaccines that are widely used in Vietnam. In addition, Sanofi will support VNVC in training human resources and quality management in vaccine research and manufacturing.
Despite the ongoing global circulation and unpredictable developments of SARS-CoV-2, the World Health Organisation (WHO) hasn’t issued new warnings about COVID-19, said the Ministry of Health.
A drugstore in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA) 
