New health cooperation with WHO launched

A new cooperative programme between the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) during 2018-2019 was launched in Hanoi on January 24.

International delegates inspect a vaccination venue in Nghia Dong commune, Quang Ngai city. (Credit: VNA)
International delegates inspect a vaccination venue in Nghia Dong commune, Quang Ngai city. (Credit: VNA)

The US$21 million programme commences between January 2018 and December 2019. The two sides will coordinate to strengthen the capacity of the health system and to provide quality and equitable health care for all people, especially those at a disadvantage and who are vulnerable, while reducing the burden of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases and other public health threats.

The scheme also targets to help the Vietnamese health sector to provide quality services at the grassroots level, improve the effectiveness of health financial use, and strengthen regulations on pharmaceuticals, vaccines and medical products to ensure better access to essential medicines and medical technologies.

According to WHO in Vietnam, the new cooperation deal will focus on three main objectives. The first objective is to strengthen the MOH’s functions, the second is aimed at improving the capacity and sustainable national partnership which will ensure public health security and the third aspires to bring an effective management of infectious and non-communicable diseases. The UN agency also pledges to continue its support to the Government of Vietnam in achieving the goal of caring for and protecting the people’s health.

Deputy Minister of Health Le Quang Cuong said that Vietnam has received warm support from the WHO in various areas, such as disease prevention and treatment, policy advice, specialist training, and improving management capacity and technical expertise.

The MOH’s reports showed that the health status of the Vietnamese people is consistently improving, with the continuous decline in the incidence of infectious diseases, maternal mortality and neonatal mortality. The percentage of people having access to clean water and sanitation facilities is on the rise as well.

However, the country is coping with the burden of dual diseases along with the rapid aging of the population. Non-communicable diseases account for about 73% of the total illness burden, while the proportion of the population aged 60 and over accounted for 10% by 2014.

An environmental cleaning campaign launched is aimed at preventing infectious diseases.