A panel discussion at the conference on strengthening ‘Public-Private Partnership for sustainable healthcare transformation’ in Hanoi on May 18. (Photo: VNA) Opening the event, the newspaper's editor-in-chief Le Trong Minh said that Vietnam's health sector faced many challenges, such as increasing infectious and non-communicable diseases, hospital overcrowding, shortage of supplies and equipment, the ageing population as well as the disparity between regions and healthcare levels in terms of quality of medical services and standardisation of modern equipment. “For the health system to be capable and always ready to respond to future situations, towards a comprehensive and sustainable health care system, it is necessary to have new investment orientations in social resources for the health system, as well as stronger cooperation from the parties involved, including the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) method,” said Minh. At the event, MPI deputy minister Tran Duy Dong said it … [Read more...] about Conference discusses Public-Private Partnerships in healthcare
Healthcare workers
Former deputy health minister jailed in fake cancer drug scandal
Cuong was sentenced by the Hanoi’s People Court after being charged with "negligence that results in serious consequences". He is also forbidden from holding positions in the field of medicine for three years after finishing his sentence. Nguyen Minh Hung, former chairman of the management board of pharmaceutical firm Vietnam Pharma JSC, received 18 years in jail for "manufacturing and trading of counterfeit medicines for treatment or prevention of diseases". Hung had been sentenced to 17 years under the same charge at another trial over the case in 2019. His cumulative years to spend in prison will be 30 years, the maximum number of jail time for combined timed sentences in accordance with Vietnamese law. 12 others convicts related to the cases were also sentenced to between 2-20 years in jail. The sentences were the latest development in a counterfeit drug case involving Vietnam Pharma and the fake drug branded Health 2000 Canada. Cuong stands accused of violations that allowed … [Read more...] about Former deputy health minister jailed in fake cancer drug scandal
Transmission boost to remove major power bottlenecks
EVN workers examine electricity facilities (Photo: VNA) The Vietnamese government’s permission for private companies to invest in and build power plants and transmission systems became a big step forward, bringing competition in the energy sector to a manageable level. The first 500kV super-high voltage power transmission line invested by Trungnam Construction and Investment JSC has been operating stably for more than a year. Trungnam’s project includes a 500kV substation and transmission lines combined with a 450MW solar power plant, promoting its advantages when participating in the power grid of Ninh Thuan province and the south-central coastal region. Pham Nhu Anh, member of the Executive Board of Military Bank, which arranged capital for Trungnam to invest in transmission infrastructure, pointed out that capital is still a bottleneck in Vietnam’s electrical infrastructure development. According to Anh, the fact that Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) still holds a monopoly on … [Read more...] about Transmission boost to remove major power bottlenecks
FDI quality in need of fresh policy boost
Well-known groups are continuing to pour money into Vietnam specifically for research and development, Photo: Le Toan LEGO Group COO Carsten Rasmussen last week arrived in Vietnam to speed up the preparation of a $1 billion complex in the southern province of Binh Duong. At last week’s meeting with the Danish toymaker, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said, “This is the largest capital from a Danish group investing in Vietnam, confirming the faith and optimism of Lego, as well as the interest of other Danish investors in this country.” Fresh updates recently revealed by the Ministry of Planning and Investment that the total newly-registered foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam last year amounted to $38.85 billion, up 25.2 per cent on-year, thanks to two billion-dollar projects registered at $7.7 billion and both licensed on the last day of 2021. An annual report on FDI in Vietnam released last week by the Vietnam Association of Foreign-Invested Enteprises … [Read more...] about FDI quality in need of fresh policy boost
Hanoi art performance marks President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday
Hanoi art performance marks President Ho Chi Minh ’s birthday (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – An art performance was held in Hanoi on May 18 to celebrate the 132nd birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh. Hosted by the Van hoa (culture) Newspaper under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with relevant agencies, the event was broadcast live on H1 TV channel of the Hanoi Television, with the participation of many famous artist s. It spotlighted the late President’s life and career, and the love of Vietnamese people for the homeland and the late leader. Many valuable documentary images about him were screened interspersed with songs during the event, highlighting his care for children and soldiers, farmers, intellectuals, and workers. President Ho Chi Minh was born on May 19, 1890, in Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province. He devoted his whole life to the cause of national liberation, while tirelessly striving for peace and … [Read more...] about Hanoi art performance marks President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday
Vietnam’s next steps in the fight to eradicate child labor
Deputy Minister of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha shared Vietnam’s plans to eradicate child labor at a conference in South Africa on Tuesday. At the fifth Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor in Durban, South Africa, Ha spoke about the pivotal role that childhood education plays in reducing the risk of children leaving school to find work. Currently, about 94.4 percent of Vietnamese children have access to education thanks to government policies to make primary and secondary education compulsory, eradicate illiteracy, and reduce or exempt tuition fees for poor, disabled, ethnic minority, and underprivileged children. The Vietnamese government also has policies which help these marginalized groups gain access to health insurance and other social welfare programs. Currently, Vietnam is cooperating with other entities, such as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) to … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s next steps in the fight to eradicate child labor