Vietnam, RoK strengthen cooperation in telemedicine
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.
A doctor from the medical centre of Ward 16, Go Vap district, Ho Chi Minh City is providing an online medical examination for a patient. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – ꦐThe development of telemedicine was a key focus of a Vietnam–Republic of Korea seminar jointly hosted by the Ministry of Health and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on June 26.
The seminar brought together senior representatives from UNDP, the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH), Korean health agencies, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health, international organisations, and development partners.
Deputy Minister of Health Prof. Dr. Tran Van Thuan highlighted that telemedicine represents a signature feature of modern healthcare, where technology is harnessed to serve people, promote equity, and broaden access to medical services across all regions, particularly in disadvantaged areas.
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.
To facilitate its growth, Vietnam has established a comprehensive legal framework to support the long-term development of telemedicine, Thuan said.
Notably, since 2020, the UNDP-supported telehealth initiative “Doctors for Everyone” has been deployed in eight provinces. Building on its success, the Ministry of Health is now collaborating with KOFIH and the UNDP to implement a new remote healthcare project in 10 mountainous and underserved provinces.
Thuan described the initiative as a meaningful example of international cooperation, aligning with Vietnam’s commitment to leave no one behind in healthcare access.
He also called for continued collaboration among participating local health departments and agencies to ensure the project’s success and integration into the national healthcare system.
KOFIH Director Cheon Joo-hwan noted that telehealth is not only a technical solution, but also a tool for advancing health equity. The project, with support from the Samsung Kangbuk Hospital, integrates digital technology to close the healthcare gap among population communities.
UNDP Resident Representative Ramla Khalidi reaffirmed the organisation’s support for ensuring inclusive, high-quality healthcare services, especially for vulnerable groups.
Experts at the seminar also discussed international models for telemedicine operations and payment systems, while Vietnamese representatives outlined local service structures, financing models, and future digitalisation plans./.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
