Vietnam, South Africa step up military medicine ties in pandemic response
Vietnam is willing to share with South Africa its research and production of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 test kit so that the two nations could together overcome the pandemic that are plaguing 213 countries around the globe, said a Vietnamese official at a virtual discussion which gathered leaders and experts of the two nations’ military medical corps.
Pretoria (VNA) - Vietnam is willing to share with South Africaits research and production of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 test kit so that thetwo nations could together overcome the pandemic that are plaguing 213 countriesaround the globe, said a Vietnamese official at a virtual discussion whichgathered leaders and experts of the two nations’ military medical corps.
Speaking at the event, whichspotlighted pandemic response experience, Colonel Nguyen Van Giang, deputy headof the Ministry of Defence’s Military Medical Department, continued highlightingVietnam’s willingness to share its practical experience in COVID-19 prevention andcontrol.
He praised South Africa’sefforts in the fight against the pandemic. He noted 600,000 of the country’s700,000 COVID-19 patients have been recovered, saying the rate is encouraging.
Regarding Vietnam’s current situation, he informed that no community infections have beendetected in the past 43 consecutive days. Vietnam, however, stays vigilant as the pandemicdevelopments remain complicated worldwide, the official affirmed.
International researches andexchanges on response measures should be carried out frequently, Giangsuggested.
Major General N.P Maphaha, ChiefDirector of Military Health Force Preparation at the South African MilitaryService, lauded the organisation of the online meeting, saying it is anopportunity for top military medicine experts of the two nations to exchange knowledgeand expertise in combating COVID-19.
He spoke highly of Vietnam’s pandemicresponse capacity, including the nation’s successful production of a test kitthat is highly evaluated by the international medical community.
Maphaha said South Africaneeds to learn from Vietnam’s production experience, as the country still has torely on imported test kits.
At the function, Vietnamese and South Africanexperts exchanged views on a range of issues, including those on thedeployment of the medical corps, testingmethods and procedures, methods for virussources tracing and quarantine, and the monitoring of recovered patients, amongothers./.
Representatives from the Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry met on June 25 to discuss ways to boost trade cooperation between the two countries.
A delegation from the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) had a working session with officials of health and social development of South Africa in Pretoria on July 23, seeking to enhance relations between the two countries in these fields.
Vietnam and South Africa agreed to maintain the defence policy dialogue which they consider as a strategic mechanism to promote the bilateral defence partnership and the two countries’ friendship and cooperation.
The Vietnam – South African joint trade sub-committee convened the fourth session in Hanoi on October 16 to seek ways to bolster bilateral economic and trade partnerships.
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.
At the event (Photo: VNA) 
