Vice Minister of Health witnesses AstraZeneca-National Phytopharma model partnership

AstraZeneca Vietnam is one of the first multinational pharmaceutical companies to comply with Vietnamese law, partnering with National Phytopharma as a drug distributor

The event was also joined by leaders of Ho Chi Minh City authorities, government bodies, the British Consulate General, and healthcare partners. During the event, AstraZeneca Vietnam inaugurated the company’s new status with the announcement of three new partnerships, underscoring its commitment to better serve local patients, support the development of Vietnam’s healthcare sector, and protect the environment.

The three partnerships include a pharmaceutical distribution partnership with National Phytopharma JSC to provide local patients with greater access to innovative treatment; MoU with the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP) to enhance healthcare professionals’ medical knowledge and clinical trials capabilities; and a sustainability partnership with the UK Government to promote green energy by donating solar power systems to local health facilities.

On this special occasion, AstraZeneca also received an award certificate from Vietnam’s Minister of Health for its contributions to the national efforts to fight COVID-19.

Speaking at the event, Vice Minister Tran Van Thuan emphasised, “This is one of the first agreements between a Vietnamese pharmaceutical distribution company and a multinational pharmaceutical company. This partnership will supply high-quality, affordable medicines, allowing Vietnamese people to access the most advanced drugs in the world and contributing to development of medical care and treatment for local communities. I hope that the partnership between National Phytopharma JSC and AstraZeneca Vietnam will serve as an example of pharmaceutical distribution system development that abides by Vietnamese law and the Ministry of Health’s strategy. We hope that after this signing ceremony, the partnership between the two countries will flourish and more similar models will be established and developed in Vietnam.”

Nitin Kapoor, chairman cum general director of AstraZeneca Vietnam Co., Ltd., said that, “AstraZeneca is proud to accompany Vietnam’s healthcare development since 1994. Building on our investment of VND5 trillion ($217.4 million) last year during Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to our global manufacturing site, this is our next step to expedite our innovative solutions to address local healthcare needs and create value for patients and society. The milestone today, made possible by the support of the Ministry of Health and healthcare partners, is extremely meaningful to AstraZeneca as we continue to enhance local partnerships to embark on a new exciting journey with Vietnam.”

Ian Gibbons, British Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, stated: “AstraZeneca’s remarkable progress in Vietnam continues to be a strong example of the UK-Vietnam strategic partnership. The company is known not only for its life-changing medicines but also its sustainability programmes, having invested millions of dollars worldwide, including in Vietnam, to help improve the health of our people and planet. We are delighted to partner with AstraZeneca Vietnam in their Green Energy for Health programme to help local health facilities save energy costs while protecting the environment, and ultimately afford local patients better access to healthcare. Health system strengthening and tackling climate change are long-term priorities for the UK government.”

From its representative offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, AstraZeneca Vietnam is now employing 470 employees to serve millions of Vietnamese patients every year. The partnerships announcement demonstrate the strategy of AstraZeneca Vietnam: expansion, innovation, and partnership, underpinned by sustainability and great people. They also reinforce the company’s commitment to supporting Vietnam to develop its healthcare and workforce, as well as to protect the environment for future generations.

Realising the government’s strategy of developing the local pharmaceutical industry and recent EVFTA, AstraZeneca, a leading global pharmaceutical company, and National Phytopharma, a long-standing domestic pharmaceutical firm, has signed a three-year national distribution agreement which will leverage the latter's comprehensive distribution network and its leading supply-chain capabilities in Vietnam with AstraZeneca’s innovative solutions and global resources, to provide local patients with greater access to life-saving medicines. AstraZeneca’s licence to import will also further ensure the security of local pharmaceutical supply chains and the increasing choice of innovative healthcare solutions for patients in Vietnam.

In addition, AstraZeneca has signed an MoU with UMP for a three-year partnership (2020-2023) in the main therapy areas of respiratory and gastrointestinal; cardiovascular – renal – metabolism; and oncology.

On the same occasion, AstraZeneca and the UK Government announced their partnership on the Green Energy for Health programme. With the aim of promoting the use of renewable energy and contributing to environmental protection, AstraZeneca Vietnam will donate five solar energy systems to local health facilities with the support of the UK government.

This partnership contributes to the UK’s biggest annual global dialogue about climate change – COP26 – and AstraZeneca’s global Ambition Zero Carbon programme, a commitment to achieve zero carbon emissions from operations across the world by 2025 and making its entire value chain carbon negative by 2030.

The collaboration also complements AstraZeneca’s long-term sustainability efforts to improve the health and well-being of Vietnamese people. Notable are the Healthy Lung Programme, a partnership with the Ministry of Health’s Medical Service Administration (MSA), to improve the quality of outpatient management of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the Young Health Programme which focuses on the prevention and reduction of non-communicable diseases risk behaviours of Vietnamese youths.