An overview of the working session. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Tú

VIENTIANE — Việt Nam and Laos have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding military medical cooperation, with a stronger focus on high-quality personnel training, advanced medical technology transfer, and reproductive medicine.

During a working visit to Laos, a delegation from Việt Nam Military Medical University led by its Political Commissar Lt. Gen. Nghiêm Đức Thuận met with Sen. Lt. Gen. Saichay Kommasith, Deputy Minister of National Defence and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People's Army, on Wednesday.

At the meeting, Thuận reported on cooperation results between Việt Nam Military Medical University and its Lao counterpart, as well as the Lao People's Army Central Hospital 103. He noted that the partnership was strengthened by a memorandum of understanding signed in 2024.

Since 1954, Việt Nam Military Medical University has trained 687 Lao military medical personnel, including 322 doctors, 67 master's degree holders, 10 doctorate holders, and dozens of specialist physicians, alongside hundreds of pharmacists and medical technicians. Many graduates now hold senior leadership positions or serve as leading medical experts in Laos.

The university is currently training 66 Lao students. Since 2011, it has also sent 32 expert missions to Laos to support teaching, curriculum development, and academic capacity building, while providing a digital database of 313 scientific publications, Thuận noted.

One of the partnership's most significant achievements is the successful transfer of kidney transplant techniques to the Lao People's Army Central Hospital 103. Since December 2022, Vietnamese experts have worked with Lao doctors to perform 31 successful kidney transplants.

Việt Nam fully covered medicines and medical supplies for the programme between 2022 and 2024, and continues partial support this year as the Lao hospital moves towards full self-reliance in 2026. The hospital has already achieved about 95 per cent self-sufficiency in the procedure.

Building on this success, the two sides are expanding cooperation in in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and assisted reproductive technology. Việt Nam has trained two groups of Lao medical staff in specialised IVF techniques and sent experts to Vientiane to prepare for introducing the service in Laos.

The institutions have also jointly organised three scientific conferences, providing a platform for military medical professionals from both countries to exchange expertise.

Saichay praised the practical results of the partnership, describing the kidney transplant technique transfer as a major medical achievement that has improved Laos' military healthcare capacity.

He also welcomed plans to develop IVF services, noting that infertility is becoming an increasing social concern in Laos and that cooperation in reproductive medicine will bring significant humanitarian and practical benefits.

For the next phase of cooperation, Thuận said, Việt Nam Military Medical University will support postgraduate medical training, scientific research, and specialist education, while helping Laos organise the fourth joint scientific conference in 2027.

The university will also continue providing technical support for kidney transplantation and supply equipment and materials for the first 20 IVF procedures to be carried out at the Lao People's Army Central Hospital 103, the Vietnamese official added.

Both sides expressed confidence that stronger military medical cooperation will help to further reinforce the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Việt Nam and Laos. — VNA/VNS