Ambassador Gareth Ward had a discussion with Acting Minister of Health, Nguyen Thanh Long at the Ministry headquarters. The two sides discussed bilateral cooperation on various aspects of the health sector; including preventing antibiotic resistance through the Fleming Fund (UK); cooperation in scientific research, especially for non-communicable diseases - an important component of the Newton Fund (UK); and facilitating in terms of policy for pharmaceutical companies to operate more effectively.
On this occasion, the British Ambassador also thanked the support and coordination of the Vietnamese side in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic and congratulate new Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long.
Mr. Gareth Ward said that treatment procedure of the British pilot, Vietnam’s most critically endangered novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patient is a miracle.
The event also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Health of Vietnam and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the implementation of the Better Health Program.
This is a program of the UK's Prosperity Fund, which provides non-refundable technical assistance to eight countries, including Vietnam, by 2022. The program aimed at improving health and related inclusive economic growth outcomes by increasing equitable access to safe and quality care, tackling the burden of non-communicable disease, and digital health.
Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long affirmed that the signing of this memorandum of understanding took the Vietnam-UK medical cooperation to a new level and opened up many opportunities for professional exchange between and health professionals of the two countries.
