Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. — AFP/VNA Photo

GENEVA — Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed achievements of the Vietnamese health sector in his congratulatory video sent to the sector on Thursday.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he is very proud to witness the changes in medicine and health care in Việt Nam over the past decades, as since 1945, the country’s life expectancy has increased by many years, with significant reductions in preventable diseases, including the eradication of polio, as well as great strides in tackling diseases like malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis.

Việt Nam has also expanded the health insurance system, helping it gain achievements in health care for its people, he said, adding that progress has also been made in addressing risk factors for non-communicable diseases such as reducing the smoking rate.

Recently, Việt Nam has also shown its capacity to respond strongly to the COVID-19 pandemic, including carrying out vaccinations comprehensively and quickly, and always targeting the most vulnerable groups.

WHO is proud to be a trusted partner of the Vietnamese Government and people and is committed to maintaining strong coordination and support for the country on its journey to bring a healthier, safer and more prosperous life to all Vietnamese, the WHO leader stated. — VNS