Mexico’s Minister of Health David Kershenobich Stalnikowitz received the Vietnamese delegation

HÀ NỘI – A high-ranking delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, led by Deputy Minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên, has recently concluded an official visit to Mexico as the two countries marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

During their visit from November 23 to 27, the delegation engaged in a series of high-level meetings, including with Mexico’s Ministry of Health, the leadership of the Mexican Labour Party (PT), and Zacatecas University. They also visited Hồ Chí Minh Acupuncture Centres in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Zacatecas, as well as the Early Childhood Development Centre (CENDI) and Tierra y Libertad Hospital in Monterrey.

In a meeting with Mexico’s Minister of Health, David Kershenobich Stalnikowitz, the two sides reviewed over two decades of health cooperation since the signing of the Health Cooperation Agreement in 2004. Minister Kershenobich highlighted the significant role of traditional Vietnamese medicine in public healthcare, noting that the Hồ Chí Minh Acupuncture Centres in Mexico City and Monterrey had become trusted healthcare destinations for the Mexican public.

For his part, Deputy Minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên provided an overview of Việt Nam’s key healthcare reform priorities, including a shift towards prevention rather than treatment, the introduction of nationwide regular health checks from 2026, the promotion of digital health records, and the development of traditional medicine alongside modern medical practices. He also emphasised the importance of international cooperation in enhancing Vietnam’s healthcare capacity.

Deputy Minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên expressed Việt Nam’s readiness to share its experience and expand cooperation with Mexico based on mutual trust and effectiveness.

The signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on healthcare cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and Mexico’s Ministry of Health

Following these discussions, the two ministries officially signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), replacing the 2004 agreement. The MoU aims to deepen cooperation in key areas, including acupuncture, herbal medicine development, the exchange of experts, medical training, scientific research, pharmaceutical trade, and medical tourism.

The Vietnamese delegation also met with Alberto Anaya Gutiérrez, General Secretary of the Mexican Labour Party (PT). Deputy Minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên thanked the PT for its continued support in advancing health cooperation between the two countries, including its backing of the Hồ Chí Minh Acupuncture Centres in Mexico.

Deputy Minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên (left) and General Secretary of the Mexican Labour Party (PT) Alberto Anaya Gutiérrez

In recognition of the successful acupuncture partnership between Việt Nam’s Central Acupuncture Hospital and the PT, General Secretary Anaya Gutiérrez noted that, over the past two decades, hundreds of Vietnamese acupuncturists had treated more than 300,000 Mexican patients, including many with complex conditions such as strokes, peripheral nerve damage, encephalitis, and cerebral palsy. These outcomes have been widely praised by the Mexican medical community.

As part of the trip, the Vietnamese delegation also visited Zacatecas University (UAZ), where they witnessed the signing of an agreement between the Central Acupuncture Hospital and UAZ. The agreement is designed to strengthen existing ties between the two institutions, with a focus on promoting acupuncture as both an alternative medical technique and a tool for public health prevention.

During their meeting, Deputy Minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên and UAZ President Ángel Román Gutiérrez lauded the fruitful collaboration between the two countries, which has led to Vietnamese doctors treating thousands of patients in Zacatecas and providing advanced acupuncture training for more than 20 cohorts of master’s students, supported by over 100 Vietnamese experts.-VNS