The took place in Washington DC from October 15 to 17 (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – In the context of the Fourth
Industrial Revolution, in health care and
pharmaceuticals is one of the important fields Vietnam is promoting.
At the 10th Vietnam-US Joint Committee Meeting
on Science and Technology in Washington DC last week, the two countries agreed
to enhance science-technology collaboration on health care and health sciences
besides partnership in agriculture and biotechnology, and environmental
conservation science.
Judith Garber, Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Oceans, International Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the
US Department of State, highly valued bilateral cooperation achievements,
particularly in the Global Health Security Agenda, the Field Epidemiology
Training Programme, the biological threat reduction programme, and the research
project on cancer prevention and treatment.
In early October, Olga Lidia Tapia Iglesias, Secretary
of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and head of the Central
Committee’s Department of Science, Education and Sports, had a working session
with the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) to review joint
research projects capitalising on the countries’ science-technology advantages.
The Cuban official particularly hailed the project
on producing antigens in pertussis vaccine by using genetic mutation, and
another to develop Vi polysaccharide typhoid vaccine.
MoST Minister Chu Ngoc Anh said 2018 is an
important year in the cooperation between his ministry and the Cuban Ministry
of Science, Technology and Environment. They have signed a memorandum of
understanding on cooperation to concretise the two countries’ science-technology
cooperation agreement inked in 1997. The document aims to serve as a basis for
expanding bilateral cooperation in a practical, effective and sustainable
manner in the new period.
He added that Vietnam wishes to cooperate with
leading science-technology organisations of Cuba in biotechnology, health care
and pharmaceuticals.
The ministries also talked the building of an
action plan on science and technology to create favourable conditions for
implementing joint research activities. This issue will be discussed at the
36th meeting of the Vietnam-Cuba Intergovernmental Committee in Havana this
November, Anh added.
Meanwhile, Japan is also an important partner in
science-technology cooperation in health care. The two countries have reached an
agreement on stepping up exchanges and sharing in some prioritised areas,
including universal health care, prevention and control of new and re-emerging
infectious diseases, disaster response, human resources development,
pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment.
Notably, under the Vietnam-Japan Economic
Partnership Agreement, Japan has received Vietnamese caregivers for further
training and practice since 2012.
Recently, TH Group of Vietnam and International
Total Engineering Corporation (ITEC) of Japan have entered into a contract to
build a hi-tech healthcare complex in Hanoi.
ITEC President Johtaro Seki said his firm will
support TH Group to access the world’s most modern medical solutions. The
hi-tech healthcare complex is designed to become a five-star general hospital
with Japanese-standard nurses and caregivers.
The partnership marks a new cooperation in
health care between the two countries in the time ahead, he noted.-VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
