Deputy Minister Trần Văn Thuấn met with a delegation from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

HÀ NỘI - Professor Dr Trần Văn Thuấn, Deputy Minister of Health, recently met with a delegation from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE), led by Dr Georges-Fabrice Blum, the ministry's Health Sector Export Coordinator, in Hà Nội.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Trần Văn Thuấn highlighted the ongoing development of Việt Nam–France relations in recent years, with healthcare cooperation emerging as a key area of focus. He noted that medical collaboration has increasingly become a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship, with growing significance across various sectors.

Việt Nam–France cooperation in the field of healthcare spans a wide range of areas, from training and scientific research to the prevention and control of infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS research, and public health initiatives, said the Deputy Minister.

Dr Georges-Fabrice Blum expressed his gratitude for the warm reception from the Ministry of Health. He outlined France's healthcare export network and proposed several potential areas for future cooperation between the two countries, including establishing partnerships among hospitals, modernising healthcare infrastructure and organisational models, developing public–private partnerships in the pharmaceutical sector, as well as enhancing collaboration in education, science and technology, and digital health solutions.

Deputy Minister Trần Văn Thuấn speaks at the meeting

During the meeting, the Deputy Minister led a discussion with senior officials from the Ministry of Health, including the Drug Administration, the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, and the Department of International Cooperation, and the MEAE delegation to address and clarify the areas of interest raised by the French side.

Currently, Việt Nam is home to 114 pharmaceutical plants invested in by French companies, with 260 medicines registered for circulation.

The Ministry of Health is exploring ways to streamline procedures and reduce the time required to import medical equipment and materials from France. It is also working to finalise the draft of a new intergovernmental agreement on health cooperation between Việt Nam and France, with the aim of signing the agreement in Lyon in April 2026.-VNS