Pfizer Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh City Respiratory Society signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen healthcare professionals’ capacity and advance respiratory disease prevention

The signings take place as Vietnam undergoes a profound transition in its pattern of disease. After nearly four decades of Đổi Mới, alongside achievements in communicable-disease control and improved life expectancy, rapid urbanization, changing lifestyles and an aging population are driving a rapid rise in the burden of non-communicable diseases — a trend that recent studies describe as a "paradox of progress".

Amid this shift, strengthening the capacity of the health system — through continuing education for healthcare workers, updated clinical knowledge and stronger promotion of prevention is increasingly becoming a priority in the pursuit of health care for all.

This prevention-centered orientation is consistent with a national health-policy framework that is being reinforced. The Law on Disease Prevention No. 114/2025/QH15, effective July 1, 2026 and replacing the 2007 Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, has broadened the regulatory scope from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases as well, and establishes the principle that "proactive prevention is paramount, with the people as the central actor." This orientation also continues Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW and the National Strategy for the Protection, Care and Enhancement of People's Health toward 2030, with a vision to 2045, which place preventive medicine, higher-quality care and health-workforce development at their core.

The "Double Burden" in Vietnam and the Need for Enhanced Healthcare Capacity

Vietnam faces a concurrent burden of disease from two directions. Non-communicable diseases — cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are rising rapidly and now account for approximately 80% of all deaths nationwide each year.

Within this group, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Vietnam. According to the World Health Organization's Global Health Estimates 2021, stroke is the leading cause of death in the country, at 167 per 100,000 population, followed by ischaemic heart disease at 65 per 100,000.

COPD is likewise a significant health burden in Vietnam, with a recorded prevalence of 7.1% in men and 1.9% in women aged 40 and above. According to the WHO, COPD caused approximately 35,600 deaths in Vietnam in 2021.

In oncology, according to GLOBOCAN 2024, the country records more than 177,404 new cases and more than 111,015 deaths each year.

In parallel, communicable diseases — particularly acute respiratory infections — remain among the leading causes of illness and death in Vietnam, especially in children under five years of age.

Notably, these two disease groups are closely interconnected: people with underlying chronic conditions face a many-fold higher risk when they contract infectious diseases such as influenza or pneumonia, which can readily lead to severe complications and death. In patients with COPD, the risk of pneumococcal pneumonia (in those over 60) is approximately four times higher, and the risk of RSV-related hospitalization (in those over 50) approximately 9.6–9.7 times higher. Proactive prevention and stronger diagnostic and treatment capacity — particularly for high-risk populations — therefore play a pivotal role in easing pressure on the health system.

Beyond prevention, severe infections remain a major burden in the treatment setting, with high mortality among critically ill patients. In Vietnam, a prospective study conducted from October 2018 to December 2020 recorded an overall mortality rate of up to 52% among patients with culture-confirmed bloodstream infection (sepsis).

In addition, invasive fungal disease is drawing increasing attention. In 2020, Vietnam had an estimated 2.3 million cases of serious fungal infections of all forms — equivalent to at least 2.5% of the population — and the true figure may be higher given limited local data and diagnostic capacity. Among these, the invasive forms, although accounting for a smaller proportion, carry substantial clinical significance owing to their high mortality, reflected in the estimated incidence of Candida bloodstream infection (candidemia) and invasive aspergillosis — concentrated primarily in patients with underlying conditions such as HIV/AIDS, pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute leukemia, and solid-organ transplantation.

This situation underscores the pivotal role of prevention, early detection, accurate diagnosis, rational use of antibiotics and antifungals (antimicrobial/antifungal stewardship), and pharmacovigilance across the healthcare system — to reduce the disease burden and enhance the quality and safety of patient care.

Alongside the professional capacity of the health system, improving community health literacy, so that people can proactively recognize risk, detect problems early and access appropriate medical advice is also considered an important factor in improving the quality of care over the long term.

Pfizer Vietnam Expands Cooperation to Enhance Diagnostic, Preventive and Therapeutic Capacity

Cooperation with the Ho Chi Minh City Respiratory Society focuses on advancing scientific and educational activities in the respiratory field, tied to the practical needs of healthcare workers. The program aims to update clinical practice guidelines, strengthen capacity in the diagnosis, prevention and management of respiratory disease, standardize clinical practice, and reinforce risk-based preventive counseling and risk communication in day-to-day clinical care — helping to make prevention part of routine care.

The educational content focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and management of common chronic respiratory diseases such as bronchial asthma and COPD, as well as exacerbation management, through case-based teaching. Planned activities include scientific symposia, continuing medical education (CME) programs and professional exchange, aimed at physicians, nurses and healthcare workers directly involved in caring for respiratory patients.

Pfizer Vietnam and Nhan Dan Gia Dinh Hospital signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand medical education and disseminate good practices across the Southern hospital network

Cooperation with Nhan Dan Gia Dinh Hospital aims to strengthen medical education in internal medicine and infectious diseases, in order to build a healthcare workforce with solid clinical expertise. The program is carried out through activities that update knowledge on diagnosis, prevention and treatment, while promoting academic exchange and scientific collaboration with domestic and international organizations and experts.

Educational priorities include strengthening capacity in the diagnosis, treatment and comprehensive care of internal-medicine conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer; updating practice in antimicrobial and antifungal stewardship and pharmacovigilance; and the prevention of infectious diseases, including those that are preventable.

In particular, as a Grade I general hospital, a tertiary-level hospital with advanced specialized technical expertise under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, Nhan Dan Gia Dinh Hospital will work with Pfizer Vietnam to expand education in clinical pharmacy, health economics and medication safety across the Southern hospital network, thereby disseminating good practices to lower-level facilities.

The scientific content of these programs — led academically by the Ho Chi Minh City Respiratory Society and Nhan Dan Gia Dinh Hospital — is developed on the basis of clinical practice guidelines and scientific evidence, and is not intended to promote any product.

In conjunction with these professional activities, Pfizer Vietnam will work with the two partners to carry out non-commercial community health communication and education, helping to raise disease awareness and encouraging the public to proactively recognize risk, seek healthcare workers consultation for appropriate preventive measures when needed.

A Long-Term Commitment to Vietnam's Healthcare System

Speaking at the signing ceremony between the Ho Chi Minh City Respiratory Society and Pfizer Vietnam, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Van Ngoc, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Respiratory Society, said: "Clinical practice shows that patients with COPD often come to healthcare facilities at a late stage, when airflow obstruction is already severe, so treatment is frequently difficult, costly and carries high mortality. Notably, COPD not only causes respiratory damage but is also associated with extrapulmonary complications, including a risk of memory loss; about 32% of patients show signs of cognitive decline, and this proportion can rise to as much as 56% on in-depth assessment (8). This shows that early detection, disease management and prevention of complications need to be given greater priority. We hope this cooperation program will help healthcare workers access the latest scientific updates, thereby improving the effectiveness of diagnosis, disease management and preventive counseling for patients."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Van Ngoc, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Respiratory Society, shared insights on the importance of early detection, disease management and prevention in respiratory care

Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Hoang Hai, MD, PhD, Director of Nhan Dan Gia Dinh Hospital, shared: "Continuing education and the sharing of clinical experience are among the important foundations for improving the quality of medical care. I believe this cooperation program will help strengthen the professional capacity of healthcare workers and spread good practices to lower-level hospital networks, toward better healthcare for the public."

Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Hoang Hai, MD, PhD, Director of Nhan Dan Gia Dinh Hospital, shared insights on the role of continuing education in improving the quality of medical care and disseminating good practices

Mr. Mark Kuo, General Director of Pfizer Vietnam, said: "Pfizer believes that building a strong health system requires close collaboration among industry, professional societies and healthcare institutions. The two Memoranda of Understanding signed on this occasion reflect our long-term commitment to working alongside partners to advance continuing medical education, update knowledge on diagnosis, prevention and treatment, and support evidence-based health-literacy initiatives for the community. We expect these collaborations to help strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers and bring practical benefits to patients as well as the community."

Mr. Mark Kuo, General Director of Pfizer Vietnam, spoke on advancing collaboration and professional exchange to strengthen healthcare professionals’ capacity

Through these two three-year cooperation programs, Pfizer Vietnam reaffirms its commitment to working alongside professional societies and healthcare institutions to enhance the quality of healthcare in Vietnam — helping to strengthen the capacity of the health system, advance disease prevention, and raise community awareness, for a healthier future.