Indian scientists helps build capacity for Vietnam on monkeypox control
Scientists at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune are training experts from Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand to tackle monkeypox amidst escalating concerns over the disease.
A isolated Monkeypox treatment ward at a hospital in Ahmedabad in India. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
New Delhi (VNA) – Scientists at the Indian Councilof Medical Research (ICMR)’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune aretraining experts from Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand to tackle monkeypox amidst escalating concernsover the disease.
As part of India’s response to protecting its populationfrom the new threat, NIV scientists are training their counterparts in thesecountries on testing, clinical symptoms, case definitions, sample collection,and equipment required for testing.
NIV Pune has been conducting such training programmes forother countries from time to time, like it did during the COVID-19 pandemic andeven before for biosafety and bio-risk mitigation, said Dr Pragya Yadav, a seniorscientist at NIV Pune.
If these countries develop the capacity to diagnose anddetect monkeypox cases, that would enhance the screening of the suspected casesand reduce the travel-related importation of cases to other countries, he said.
According to the scientist, some 139 participants from variouscountries participated in the last capacity-building programme which was launched on August 1.
The institute does not only offer the capacity-buildingprogramme but also provides testing kits, reagents and probes for othercountries upon request, said Prof., Dr Priya Abraham, Director of NIV Pune.
Last week, the NIV lab isolated themonkeypox virus strain to help pharmaceutical companies to develop monkeypoxvaccine and diagnostic kits. Besides this, the institute has been designated asa referral laboratory for testing suspected cases. In addition, 15 otherICMR-VRDL (Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory) network laboratories havebeen optimised to undertake diagnostic testing for monkeypox disease.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of July27, around 18,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox globally from 78 countries andfive deaths have been reported./.
Ho Chi Minh City has proposed the Ministry of Health permit it to impose health declaration on arrivals in local ports of entry to early detect suspected cases of monkeypox.
It would not surprise if monkeypox was reported in Vietnam since the country has reopened its borders. A readiness plan is in order, stated an official of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vietnam.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) on August 1 held an online training session to guide medical facilities nationwide on the diagnosis and treatment of monkeypox in the context that the number of the cases worldwide is topping 22,000.
The Ministry of Health has asked localities nationwide to monitor foreign arrivals from countries with monkeypox as an early response after infections were spotted in the region.
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) on August 5 announced the discovery of the fourth confirmed monkeypox case in a 22-year-old woman, the first female infection found in the country.
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.
A isolated Monkeypox treatment ward at a hospital in Ahmedabad in India. (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
