Joint effort to upgrade Vietnam’s healthcare system

Overview of the Conference

The seminar was held in the hybrid form and welcomed over 100 guests who are representatives of international organisations, local ministries, and affiliated agencies.

Editor-in-chief Le Trong Minh spoke at the conference. Photo: Chi Cuong

During the opening speech, Le Trong Minh, VIR‘s editor-in-chief said, “Although Vietnam has achieved significant progress in battling COVID-19, the healthcare system requires sustainable and resilient expansion."

It is essential for healthcare practitioners to have innovative orientations for a flexible and well-prepared healthcare system. Investment is required for social resources for the health system, as well as increased collaboration among the stakeholders, including the use of the PPP in cooperation. "New financial resources, particularly in the form of PPP investments, must be mobilised to improve health services," said Minh.

Tran Duy Dong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment said, “Investment in PPP form plays a significant role in alleviating the paucity of money for healthcare investment in many developed countries.”

According to Nitin Kapoor, chairman and general director of AstraZeneca Vietnam and Asia Area Frontier Markets, AstraZeneca along with the government, the Ministry of Health, and other partners, has handed over more than 70 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Nitin Kapoor, chairman and general director of AstraZeneca Vietnam and Asia Area Frontier Markets spoke at the conference. Photo: Chi Cuong

In the next phase of the project, the partners will expand their research and collaborate with a variety of additional partners to assist the system for the next pandemic by putting these policies into action.

Phillip Alexander Wray, General Manager, DKSH Pharma Vietnam

Torben Minko, vice chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) said, “We welcome the government's desire to make Vietnam a high value-added investment destination in the pharmaceutical sector.”

Speakers at the first panel of the conference. Photo: Chi Cuong

However, current policies and implementation challenges are among the roadblocks that jeopardise the predictability and long-term viability of investment decisions. Furthermore, rising business expenditures for global pharmaceutical businesses have an influence on investor confidence.

The conference was designed to initiate a dialogue between government agencies and the business community while providing a platform for stakeholders to raise their voices.

Speakers at the second panel of the conference. Photo: Duc Thanh

Conference: Strengthening Public-private Partnerships for Sustainable Healthcare Transformation