Health

With 2,000–2,500 severe thalassemia cases diagnosed each year in Vietnam, expanded access to stem cell transplantation is opening up new prospects for patients to lead healthier, more independent lives.

From the cash-only days, plenty of hospitals have made a fast switch to modern payment options like QR code scans, bank cards, e-wallets, and payments straight through healthcare apps.

On April 5 alone, 58 hospitals and health centres conducted screening programmes across 64 wards and communes, with a focus on outlying areas. Beyond early detection, residents receive consultations, long-term health monitoring guidance, and access to specialised services locally.

Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh emphasised the need for consistent and effective implementation of the resolution across the political system, with priorities including refining healthcare policies and institutions, strengthening preventive and grassroots healthcare networks, expanding population health management, promoting early detection, and improving school-based physical education and nutrition.

The initiative aims to bring healthcare services closer to residents and strengthen grassroots medical care, with a long-term goal of extending preventive health services to the city’s nearly 15 million people.

The launch marked the first year the activity has been implemented in a coordinated manner nationwide. Members of the public were able to visit free screening areas, receive nutritional advice, participate in mass exercise performances, enjoy artistic programmes, and join a walk in response following the ceremony.

Vietnam’s medical tourism market was valued at approximately 700 million USD in 2024 and is projected to expand to nearly 4 billion USD by 2033, representing an average annual growth rate of around 18%. The figures underscore the sector’s considerable potential.

Participants will receive comprehensive health checks through a streamlined one-stop process, including blood pressure measurement, height and weight assessment, BMI and cardiovascular risk evaluation, blood tests, general examinations and specialist consultations in internal medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics, ophthalmology, ENT, dentistry and oncology. Rapid blood glucose testing and biochemical screening will also be conducted to detect diabetes and metabolic disorders.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong said NCDs pose a growing global challenge, accounting for over 70% of deaths worldwide, mainly from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. In Vietnam, the burden is rising rapidly, requiring urgent and sustained preventive strategies.

The Ministry of Health stressed that prioritising prevention over treatment is an urgent requirement, as the cost of treating NCDs, especially cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and metabolic disorders, is several times higher than the cost of prevention.

Most infections were reported among children under 10 years old, making up 99.3%, with those aged 1–5 accounting for the highest proportion (92.7%) due to close contact in kindergartens and limited hygiene practices.

In the initial phase in 2026, priority will be given to children under 24 months old, students, out-of-school minors, contracted employees, probationary workers, apprentices, public officials, members of the armed forces, social protection beneficiaries and people aged 60 and above.

The TB burden in Vietnam remains high. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that in 2025, the country recorded around 184,000 new TB cases, including 9,400 drug-resistant cases, with approximately 12,000 deaths annually.

According to information recorded at the National Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, the medical team successfully performed a cesarean section on a 60-year-old pregnant woman, safely delivering a baby boy. This is considered one of the rare pregnancies with high medical risks in Vietnam due to the mother's age. Thanks to close monitoring and thorough preparation before delivery, the surgery went smoothly, and the baby boy was born with good vital signs.

The cases highlight the effectiveness of rapid coordination between frontline healthcare facilities and specialised hospitals in optimising the “golden time” for emergency treatment.