ASEAN health ministers battle with Zika in teleconference
Health ministers from ASEAN member states convened a teleconference on September 19 seeking ways to combat Zika virus, which has hit many parts of Southeast Asia.
Hanoi (VNA) – Health ministers from ASEAN m⭕ember states convened a te🌠leconference on September 19 seeking ways to combat Zika virus, which has hit many parts of Southeast Asia.
As of September 19, seven out of 10 ASEAN countries recorded Zika infections, except for Laos, Brunei and Myanmar.
Thailand and Myanmar reported the viral disease in 1954 and 1969, respectively, but it was yet to erupt into outbreak. Since 2012, the number of cases in 13 Thai cities and provinces has surged to 314.
Since late August, 369 Singaporeans have contracted the virus.
As of September 16 in Vietnam, three people in Ho Chi Minh City, the central provinces of Khanh Hoa and Phu Yen were found to be positive to the virus, with two samples of virus belonging to the Asian and American lineage.
The Vietnamese health ministry forecast that more cases of infection are likely to be reported in the country in the near future.
Speaking at the event, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said Vietnam has raised public awareness of Zika prevention, especially at international airports and border gates, as well as called for global financial aid in the fight.
Concluding the event, participants issued a joint statement detailing joint cooperation in increasing monitoring efforts in each member country, improving information exchange, surveillance and countermeasures, as well as mosquito control and management of larvae breeding grounds.-VNA
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) on September 14 instructed all 12 Emergency Operation Centres to increase their alert level to level two amidst the spread of Zika virus epidemic.
The Zika infection case discovered in Japan on September 12 is not Vietnamese, confirmed the Health Ministry’s Department of Preventive Medicine on September 15.
Hanoi’s Health Department and authorities of the outlying district of Hoai Duc jointly launched a campaign against dengue and Zika virus disease on September 16.
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.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
