The signing of a cooperation memorandum between the People's Committee of Cần Thơ City and AstraZeneca Vietnam in the medical field. — VNA/VNS Photo

CẦN THƠ — British companies have joined hands with local governments and organisations in Việt Nam to improve community health and develop sustainable health systems.

Recently drug company AstraZeneca Vietnam and the Mekong Delta city of Cần Thơ signed an agreement to work together on projects to better the community's health and create a lasting healthcare system.

It outlines a five-year plan until 2028 for the two sides to focus on disease prevention, early detection and research.

“To pursue the objective of providing healthcare coverage for all citizens, which is an integral part of the Government's commitment to sustainable development, it is essential to bolster investment resources and improve capacity and operational effectiveness of healthcare systems,” Trần Việt Trường, city Party Committee deputy secretary and People's Committee chairman, said.

“This will ensure the provision of high-quality services that meet the healthcare needs of the people in the city and the Mekong Delta.”

The MoU marked a significant milestone in establishing a partnership between the two sides.

Nitin Kapoor, chairman and general director of AstraZeneca Vietnam, said: "Following our earlier agreement with the Ministry of Health, I'm thrilled to see our partnership with Cần Thơ City flourish today. We are wholeheartedly dedicated to supporting Cần Thơ City's efforts to look after its residents' health. Together, we will work to improve the skills of healthcare workers, aiding the growth and global engagement of Cần Thơ's healthcare sector and the broader Mekong Delta area."

AstraZeneca and Cần Thơ are seeking to enhance community health and establish a resilient healthcare system and focusing on educating the public about diseases and boosting healthcare quality in various areas including cancers, respiratory and cardio-renal-metabolic systems, immunology, and rare diseases.

These programmes aim to benefit the broader Mekong Delta region.

On the occasion, AstraZeneca and the Cần Thơ City Oncology Hospital formalised a partnership through a memorandum of co-operation, reinforcing their joint medical ventures in the city.

The purpose of this agreement is to fast-track the hospital's research capabilities and global outreach, helping improving its standard of care for patients.

In Hà Nội on Wednesday, the UK’s Modality Partnership and Việt Nam’s Hồng Anh Medical Campus announced a long-term strategic partnership.

It prioritises accessibility and quality of care for individuals and communities.

Through state-of-the-art care coordination, management and patient engagement solutions, the partnership seeks to establish a healthcare eco-system centred around the individual needs of each patient.

It also expands healthcare access significantly by creating innovative care facilities and digital solutions that ensure healthcare services are readily accessible everywhere in Việt Nam.

Modality and Hồng Anh will consistently improve services through data-driven insights, extensive research and the adoption of best practices.

The co-operation between UK companies and organisations and Vietnamese provinces and cities has seen steady growth this year.

In October, AstraZeneca signed a co-operation memorandum with the Society of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology of HCM City for enhancing the capabilities of medical and community healthcare workers in managing and treating respiratory diseases, with a focus on bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In the next six months, KPMG Vietnam and the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) will help HCM City research health strategies, achieve its goal of becoming a medical innovation hub in Southeast Asia and its health department expand research into disease models and community health needs. — VNS