Agreements with strategic partners help AstraZeneca Vietnam offer even more life-saving initiatives

In attempts to mark World Cancer Day in February and the 69th anniversary of Vietnam Physicians’ Day this week, a joint initiative has screened around 100,000 people in just a few months through the Healthcare Innovation Network.

In late 2023, AstraZeneca Vietnam joined forces with the Vietnam Young Physician Association to launch the network and its inaugural initiative, “Digital Transformation for Lung Health”. Over the span of the first two months, with the participation of 25 hospitals across five provinces and cities, the programme successfully conducted lung examinations and X-rays for over 64,000 individuals aged 40 and above.

The achievement is the latest in a long line of actions carried out by the company in recent times. To strengthen and promote cooperation, AstraZeneca Vietnam and the Young Physician Association of Vietnam in January signed a five-year MoU that aims to pursue long-term objectives, leveraging the transformative potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to further contribute to the wellbeing of the people and community, as well as the sustainable health system in Vietnam.

Last year, AstraZeneca Vietnam signed another MoU with the Ministry of Health (MoH) on comprehensive collaboration in the areas of drug research and development, drug manufacturing, disease prevention and control, and the establishment of a sustainable healthcare system. In October, the company was granted a registration certificate, allowing the transfer of innovative pharma production tech to Vietnam. The step aligns with the company’s $90 million investment to enhance domestic pharmaceutical production capacity.

In terms of such tech transfer and also environmental protection in the country, AstraZeneca has been at the forefront of sponsoring clinical trials for years. With a committed investment of $360 million towards 2030, a significant portion is dedicated to research and development, strengthening Vietnam’s research capabilities and expanding patient’s access to advanced drugs.

AstraZeneca also demonstrated its dedication to Vietnam’s sustainable development goals last year through substantial investments, notably a pledge of $50 million investment to restore forests and landscapes. The funding aligns with Vietnam’s ambitious objective of attaining net-zero emissions by 2050.

Nitin Kapoor, chairman of AstraZeneca Vietnam, said, “Over 30 years, AstraZeneca has consistently prioritised the health of the people and sustainable development in Vietnam. I take immense pride in witnessing the positive outcomes that collective efforts have brought, leading to innovation and sustainability in the healthcare sector.”

AstraZeneca leader also extend heartfelt appreciation to invaluable contributions of healthcare physicians, pharmacists, and practitioners across Vietnam. Their dedication has positively impacted the lives of millions across the country, Kapoor added.

In December, Kapoor was awarded the state president’s Friendship Medal, which recognises exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the government’s pandemic response and healthcare improvement efforts.

Those efforts include AstraZeneca’s enduring partnership with Vietnamese healthcare agencies and organisations, underscored by a multitude of impactful initiatives since it was established in Vietnam in 1994.

Among them are the Healthy Lung Programme to improve the quality of outpatient management of asthma, lung cancer, and more; the Young Health Programme to prevent and reduce non-communicable disease risk among young people; the CaReMe Programme to transform the cardiovascular-renal-metabolic care ecosystem; the Love your lungs campaign to raise awareness of screening for lung cancer; and the Health System Sustainability and Resilience initiative to holistically reinforce the Vietnamese health system against future risks.

AstraZeneca has been operating in Vietnam for over 30 years and currently employs more than 600 staff. Its COVID-19 vaccine became the first approved, distributed, and used in Vietnam. Through advance purchase agreements and bilateral assistance from governments, AstraZeneca has provided over 72 million doses of the vaccine, which is estimated to have contributed to preventing more than 232,000 deaths in Vietnam.