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 working session between doctors from the 108 Military Central Hospital and their colleagues from the Hannover Medical School (Photo: VNA)
Berlin (VNA) - The 108 Military Central Hospital and Germany’s Hannover Medical School (MHH) will step up cooperation in high-quality cardiovascular human resources training and clinical trials of advanced medical technologies at the Vietnamese hospital, while moving towards comprehensive collaboration under a long-term agreement recently signed in Hannover city.
The deal represents a significant milestone, linking one of Vietnam's largest central hospitals with an institution ranked 5th in Germany and 41st globally by US-based Newsweek magazine, particularly in the areas of organ transplantation and implantation of Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) devices.
Over the recent past, the two institutions have engaged in regular exchanges, online consultations, and official visits. A 108 Hospital surgical team visited Hannover for training in September 2024, deepening their collaboration.
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. This research holds particular significance in Vietnam where cardiovascular disease impacts millions and causes around 200,000 deaths annually, while organ donation remains extremely limited.
The MHH has supported the Vietnamese hospital in mastering minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS). On November 19, 2024, the hospital successfully performed its first minimally invasive aortic valve replacement. Its surgical team then completed 30 MICS cases in just three months, including complicated replacements.
A new milestone was achieved on March 21, when the hospital, under the direct supervision of Professor Schmitto, successfully implanted a third-generation Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), the first of its kind in Vietnam, marking a breakthrough for the country's cardiac surgery.
Established in 1965, the MHH has operated under an integrated hospital-research-teaching model, securing its position among Germany's leading university hospitals. The institution's primary research areas encompass transplantation and stem cell research, regenerative medicine, infection and immunology research, and biomedical engineering./.
For the first time in Vietnam, the 108 Military Central Hospital has successfully implanted a third-generation partial artificial heart in a patient with end-stage heart failure. This marks a significant milestone in the country’s medical field, bringing Vietnamese healthcare closer to the world’s most advanced systems, while offering new hope of survival for thousands of patients suffering from severe heart failure.
The symposium served not only as a platform for in-depth scientific exchange but also marked a significant step forward in the journey of treatment innovation, both in Vietnam and around the world.
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
