Health sector’s nine outstanding events in 2018

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The Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) on September 25 announced its clinical trials of IVACFLU-S vaccine which prevents three strains of influenza viruses, namely A/H1N1/09, A/H3N2 and B.

Vietnam has reaped many achievements in producing "3-in-1" seasonal flu vaccine, while its measles vaccine received the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Award 2018. 

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A project producing the measles vaccine, which was implemented by the Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biology (POLYVAC), received the Award by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)’s President. Under the project, production processes of measles and measles-rubella vaccines as well as others meeting the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standard of the World Health Organisation (WHO), were completed.

2. Viet Nam eliminates lymphatic filariasis

On October 8, 2018, at the 69th meeting of the WHO Western Pacific Region in Manila, the Philippines, WHO Director-General Tedros AdhanomGhebreyesus and the WHO's Regional Director for the Western Pacific Shin Young-Soo presented a certificate of merit recognising Vietnam’s elimination of lymphatic filariasis.

Since 2002, the programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis in Viet Nam has been implemented nationwide in accordance with the WHO’s guidelines.

3. Viet Nam wins international award for tobacco control

Viet Nam’s Health Ministry was honoured at the 17th World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 7, 2018 and received the Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control for its prominent achievements in monitoring tobacco use and controlling the harmful effects of tobacco.


4. Viet Nam successfully conducts lung transplant

On December 12, doctors from Viet Nam – Germany Friendship Hospital successfully performed the first transplant of two lungs from a brain-dead donor. 

This was also the first time the Vietnamese doctors took other organs from the same donor to transplant into four more patients, a heart transplant for a 60-year-old man, a liver transplant for a 63-year-old woman and a kidney transplant for a 41-year-old man, and another kidney transplant on a 15-year-old boy.

5.  The proportion of health insurance coverage exceeds assigned target

As of December 31, 2018, over 82 million people participated in health insurance, reaching 87.5% of the population, surpassing the goal assigned by the Government and the National Assembly.

6. All provinces and cities apply IT to connect drug supply facilities

All 63 provinces and cities nationwide have issued plans to implement the Prime Minister's Directive No. 23 on applying information technology in connecting drug supply establishments.

Accordingly, localities have coordinated with Military-run telecommunications corporation Viettel and software supply facilities to train and instruct drug suppliers, grant accounts to 15,178 drug retail outlets, connect 2,787 facilities with management agencies and standardise 55,000 – 60,000 medical drug lists.

7. Pilot models operating under the family medicine principles and towards international integration built in 26 grass-root health stations.

The Health Ministry issued the Action ProgrammeNo. 1379/Ctr-BYT on the implementation of a project to build and develop the grass-root health network under the PM’s Decision No. 2348/QD-TTg.

Accordingly, the ministry has drastically built and expanded the models of 26 health stations under the family health principles, towards international integration.

The project aims to promote a drastic change in organizational mechanism and effective operation at grassroots medicine facilities, towards improving the quality of healthcare services at local health establishments. 

8. Over 70% of business conditions and administrative procedures cut and reduced. 

The Ministry submitted to the Government for issuance of Decree No. 155/2018/ND-CP on amending and supplementing a number of regulations related to business conditions under its state management scope. According, 1363/1871 (72.85%) business conditions and 169/234 (72.22%) administrative procedures were cut.

The cutting of business conditions and administrative procedures as well as the list of goods subject to specialized inspection under the ministry’s state management has helped save more than 8.5 million working days per year, and about over 3.3 trillion VND per year for enterprises and people (excluding other benefits from business opportunities).

9. ComBE Five vaccine used to replace Quinvaxem 

The Health Ministry decided to use ComBE Five vaccine to replace the Quinvaxem vaccine in the national expanded vaccination programme. It prevents diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B.

“Five-in-one” vaccine ComBE Five produced by Indian vaccine manufacturer Biological E. Ltd, which has ingredients and efficacy similar to Quinvaxemvaccine produced in the Republic of Korea, will be used nationwide to replace Quinvaxem from late December. 

By Vien Nhu