HCM City adjusts COVID-19 combat strategy, prioritising treatment
Ho Chi Minh City’s health sector is implementing a strategy of shifting from focusing on screening testing to treatment, with a hope to reduce the rate of COVID-19 patients in critical conditions and the number of fatalities.
Treating a COVID-19 patient in critical conditions (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) - Ho Chi Minh City’s health sector is implementing astrategy of shifting from focusing on screening testing to treatment, with ahope to reduce the rate of COVID-19 patients in critical conditions and thenumber of fatalities.
The information was released by Deputy Director of themunicipal Department of Health Nguyen Hoai Nam at a meeting providing informationabout the city’s pandemic prevention and control on August 10.
According to him, along with speeding up vaccination, thecity has put three COVID-19 intensive care units, with 1,500 beds, intooperation. All of these centres have necessary conditions to meet the need ofusing ventilators for patients.
The city has also intensified the capacity of health care athome and the emergency aid centre 115, and provided medical consultations viahotlines.
Regarding the vaccination progress, Nam revealed as of August9 noon, the city had received more than 4.1 million doses of vaccines andadministered over 3.4 million shots.
The city will continue to accelerate the injection rate of250,000 - 300,000 shots a day, he said, adding that the city may use up all thevaccines it has by the end of August 12.
The city has proposed the Ministry of Health continueproviding vaccines for it in August with a total of 5.5 million doses toachieve the goal of achieving herd immunity, stated Nam.
Also at the meeting, Director of the municipal Department ofLabour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Minh Tan affirmed that the departmentwill quickly allocate the support package to locals before August 15.Currently, 92 percent of labourers who have their jobs delayed or take no-payleave, more than 365,000 freelance workers, 15,000 traders at traditionalmarkets and 5,800 business households have received support./.
The Ministry of Health has requested COVID-19 treatment hospitals across the country to increase use of Telehealth, a system for remote health care consultation and support, to deal with the spikes in COVID-19 cases.
The Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) announced results of pre-clinical research on a herbal medicine for COVID-19 treatment called VIPDERVIR at an online press conference on August 10.
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.
Treating a COVID-19 patient in critical conditions (Photo: VNA) 
