Vietnam News Today (Nov. 3): US, Vietnam Boost Healthcare Cooperation

Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm (C) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at a meeting with Vietnam's Ministry of Health (MoH) on October 30. Photo: MoH

US, Vietnam boost healthcare cooperation

Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was in Vietnam this week to meet with CDC Vietnam and CDC Southeast Asia Regional Office staff, US Embassy officials, and partners from the Government of Vietnam.

HHS has robust health collaboration with Vietnam both bilaterally and multilaterally through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA).

Since normalization of relations in 1995, the US government has contributed over US$1.15 billion in bilateral health programs in Vietnam.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an agency of HHS, established a country office in Vietnam in 1998 to implement high-quality, sustainable health systems that lead to long term impact for the country.

In 2021, US Vice President Kamala Harris launched the US CDC Southeast Asia Regional Office in Hanoi to advance regional global health security.

US CDC in Vietnam is the primary partnering agency for Vietnam’s Ministry of Health (MOH), providing technical expertise to support and scale up programs targeting priority diseases including HIV, tuberculosis, and influenza.

In addition, US CDC in Vietnam partners closely with MOH to strengthen laboratory and surveillance systems, develop and utilize emergency operations centers, prevent antimicrobial resistance and infections in healthcare settings, prevent zoonotic and vaccine-preventable diseases in the community, support workforce development for the 21st century, and particularly recently, support outbreak response. In 2023, US CDC will mark 25 years of bilateral health cooperation.

In addition, the Southeast Asia Regional Office strengthens the US CDC’s ability to meet its mission of protecting people in America and throughout Southeast Asia by responding more rapidly to health threats wherever they occur and building key relationships to address shared health priorities.

Coordinating with country offices in the region, the Southeast Asia Regional Office is focused on building core public health capacities and responding to public health threats with ministry counterparts and regional partners, cited VOV.

HHS supports further public health strengthening in Vietnam through the agencies of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), including extramural research collaboration with institutions in Vietnam focused on HIV, tuberculosis, and other bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, and development of a locally manufactured influenza vaccine, respectively.

HHS Deputy Secretary Palm, among others, visited Hanoi this week to reaffirm the importance of US-Vietnam health cooperation and to express the US desire to acknowledge Vietnam as an important health partner multilaterally through ASEAN. The Deputy Secretary’s visit to Vietnam followed a trip to Indonesia for the G20 Ministerial.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity to visit Vietnam to see first-hand the strength of the health partnership between the United States and Vietnam and discuss Vietnam’s role as a leader in advancing regional health security. We know that our health is integrally related to that of the health of others around the world. The United States is proud of our longstanding partnership with the Government of Vietnam, which serves as a model of bilateral cooperation in addressing shared health priorities,” said Deputy Secretary Palm.

Additional 756 Covid-19 infections logged on Nov. 2

The Ministry of Health announced that 756 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the country on November 2.

The new infections brought the country’s total number of Covid-19 cases to 11,504,091.

Treatment for severe Covid-19 patients at Thanh Hoa Lung Hospital. Photo: VNA

Meanwhile, 344 patients fully recovered from the disease on the day, lifting the total number of recoveries to 10,603,942.

The death toll rose to 43,165, accounting for 0.4% of the total infections, as another fatality was recorded in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh, according to VNA.

More than 262.04 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered so far.

Vietnamese, Hungarian NA Offices promote cooperation

Secretary General of the National Assembly (NA) and Chairman of the NA Office Bui Van Cuong held talks with his Hungarian counterpart Such Gyorgy in Hanoi on November 1.

The Vietnamese official said the relations between their legislative bodies have become stronger and more practical, adding the two sides have supported, and closely and effectively coordinated with each other at multilateral parliamentary forums; and contributed many initiatives to regional and international parliamentary organizations, reported WVR.

Cuong expressed his hope that the two legislatures’ offices will continue to coordinate closely to serve the Vietnamese and Hungarian NAs to implement their cooperation agreement signed on June 27, 2022 in Budapest on the occasion of the official visit to Hungary by Vietnamese NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

Vietnamese, Hungarian NA Offices promote cooperation: Secretary General of the National Assembly and Chairman of the NA Office Bui Van Cuong (R) and Hungarian counterpart Such Gyorgy. Photo: VNA

He suggested Such Gyorgy consider signing a cooperation agreement to further share working experience and enhance cultural exchange between civil servants of the two NA offices.

The Hungarian official congratulated Vietnam on great achievements in reform and integration, and rapid economic growth, and spotlighted the crucial role played by the Vietnamese NA in the process.

The frequent exchange of experience between the two countries’ NAs is a key to the bilateral effective cooperation, Gyorgy said.

He spoke highly of the establishment of the Vietnam-Hungary Friendship Parliamentary Group, saying that the Hungarian NA is also accelerating the formation of a similar group of Hungary.

Agreeing with the Vietnamese official’s proposals, the guest said the signing of such a cooperation agreement between the two NAs will contribute to effectively implementing the agreement signed in the framework of the Vietnamese top legislator’s recent visit to Hungary.

International Film Festival promotes images of capital Hanoi

A trailer aimed at introducing sixth the Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) has been unveiled, including special features showcasing Hanoi that is hosting the event.

The video clip highlights an array of beautiful landscapes and the culture of Hanoi, as well as a range of activities taking place during the festival.

Running with the theme of "Cinema - Humanity, Adaptation and Development", HANIFF will be jointly held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Cinema Department, as well as the municipal Department of Sports and Tourism.

As many as 123 films from over 50 countries and territories worldwide have registered to participate in the HANIFF from November 8 to November 12.

Photo: HANIFF

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong said the event will also help to promote tourism development and services, contributing to promoting the image of Vietnam as a safe, friendly, peaceful, hospitable, integrated, and developing country.

An exhibition featuring the capital’s vast historical monuments and cultural heritages as film locations, as well as seminars on the cinema industry, outdoor movie screening programmes, exchanges with actors and actresses, and sightseeing tours to several attractive destinations around Hanoi will be held during the five-day festival, cited VOV.

Awards will also be presented on the closing night of the event on November 12 at the Friendship Palace (91 Tran Hung Dao street).

Vietnam likely to observe blood moon lunar eclipse on November 8

Many people in Vietnam will enjoy a unique experience as they witness the second total lunar eclipse of the year that will transform the moon into a reddish-copper colour for 85 minutes on November 8.

The reddish moon will be visible from North America, parts of South America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, according to Space.com.

The occasion is often colloquially referred to as a Blood Moon, which is a total lunar eclipse, with this happening as the full moon, in this case November's full Beaver Moon, moves into the deep umbral shadow of the Earth and receives only light first filtered by the Earth's atmosphere.

Vietnamese people will hace chance to admire blood moon lunar eclipse on November 8. Photo: NPR

The website reveals that people in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi will be able to watch the Total Lunar Eclipse at its maximum level at 17:59 p.m. on the same day.

This will be the second and final lunar eclipse of the year. The first such lunar eclipse took place on May 16.

“There will also be two lunar eclipses in 2023, though they won't be nearly as impressive a spectacle,” Space.com notes.

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