Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc receiveS US Secretary of Health and Human Services Thomas Price on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HÀ NỘI — The US and Việt Nam pledged to deepen bilateral co-operation on health issues on Thursday as Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc received US Secretary of Health and Human Services Thomas Price.

The PM hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Thursday for the Secretary, who is visiting Việt Nam to attend the APEC High-level Meeting on Health and the Economy. 

PM Phúc applauded the efforts to develop medical co-operation between Việt Nam and the US over the past 20 years. He expressed his satisfaction with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on co-operation between the two health ministries during the US official’s ongoing visit. 

The PM affirmed that the Vietnamese Government appreciated the US Government’s support for Việt Nam’s health sector through programmes such as the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Health Security Agenda.

These programmes have facilitated the opening of offices on epidemics alert systems and response, launched by the General Department of Preventive Medicine and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology of Việt Nam. 

The Vietnamese Government also praised the efforts by relevant ministries and agencies to strengthen medical co-operation. The US Embassy in Việt Nam, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Agency for International Development, and US non-governmental organisations have been particularly instrumental, the PM said.

PM Phúc said he believes that bilateral medical ties will further thrive, particularly in the fight against HIV/AIDS, influenza prevention, and global health security. He said he sees room for further co-operation in areas such as training of medical staff, granting of national vocational certificates, global health diplomacy, food safety and pharmaceuticals. 

The PM asked the Secretary to convey his regards to President Donald Trump and expressed his hope that during the President’s term, the Việt Nam-US comprehensive partnership and medical co-operation between the two nations will both develop further. 

Secretary Price conveyed President Donald Trump’s greetings to the PM and his appreciation for bilateral ties on a range of issues, including healthcare. 

The US values Việt Nam’s achievements in global health as well as preventing and controlling epidemics and addressing HIV/AIDS, Price said. He added that the US hopes to continue to develop co-operation on health issues, and described the signing of the MoU with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health as the start of long-term bilateral co-operation. — VNS