HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City is striving t🥃o increase the number of drug addicts accessing methadone treatment to 8,000.
Since the methadone programme began in 2008, more than 4,000 local addicts have so far been treated with the drug, with 68 percent of them getting employment.
The current number of medical facilities providing the treatment across the southern hub amounts to 19, most of which are State-run clinics.
By the end of 2016, three more facilities will be put into operation in District 2, District 3 and Can Gio suburban district, helping increase the number of patients using the therapy to 5,500.
District 5 together with Tan Phu and Cu Chi districts are set to join the programme within the first quarter of 2017.
However, municipal health officials said the methadone treatment has been facing budget difficulty due to dropping international aid and State financing in recent years. Given the context, HCM City spent more than 7.6 billion VND (342,000 USD) on purchasing the drug in the 2014-2015 period. The city has also decided to add over 18.3 billion VND (823,000 USD) to the budget for this work this year.
In addition, patients had to pay part of the treatment costs, at 6,000 VND (0.27 USD) for a dose of methadone in 2015. The payment increased to 8,000 VND (0.36 USD) as from June this year.-VNA
Authorities of HCM City have set a target of curbing the rate of new HIV cases at 0.03 percent in the community by 2020, and controlling the rate of people living with HIV at 0.6 percent in 2016-2020.
The Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) was chosen to receive aid from the Global Fund with total expected funds of 6.9 million USD.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has voiced his hope for continued support from the United Nations and its International Narcotics Control Board in the combat against drugs.
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.
According to the World Health Organisation, more than 25,000 COVID-19 cases have been recorded globally over the past month. Notably, from January 1 to May 10, Thailand reported nearly 54,000 infections and 16 deaths. The rise in cases in Thailand has been linked to the spread of XBB.1.16 subvariant.
Illustraive image (Photo: VNA)
