Staff from the HCM City First-Aid Academy demonstrate first-aid skills. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng

HCM CITY – A strategic cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening community first-aid capacity was signed in HCM City on Tuesday by France’s Urgo Foundation, the HCM City Red Cross Society, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMP), Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, and Long Châu Pharmacy and Vaccination Centre System.

The agreement focuses on establishing hundreds of first-aid stations across Long Châu’s pharmacy and vaccination network, standardising first-aid training for medical and pharmaceutical students, and expanding community health education activities nationwide.

As part of the partnership, the parties launched the First-Aid Academy programme, which aims to equip future healthcare professionals with standardised emergency response skills.

Pascal B. Auzière, a representative of the Urgo Foundation, stressed the crucial role of first aid, noting that a timely intervention can save lives and reduce health risks for patients. Strengthening practical training for medical and pharmaceutical students will help future healthcare workers master essential life-saving skills and respond effectively to emergencies, he said.

Professor and Dr Nguyễn Đức Tuấn, vice dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the UMP, pledged close coordination with partners to implement the programme. The university will support communication efforts and encourage students to participate in specialised training courses, enabling them to apply professional first-aid skills to protect their families and communities, he added.

A key component of the cooperation is the establishment of hundreds of first-aid stations throughout the Long Châu system.

Leveraging its extensive network of pharmacies and healthcare personnel, the stations are expected to provide timely on-site assistance in emergencies, helping secure the “golden hour” before patients reach specialised medical facilities.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Etienne Ranaivoson, Consul General of France in HCM City, described healthcare as one of the most traditional, effective and exemplary areas of cooperation within the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Việt Nam and France.

Over the past three decades, extensive cooperation between the two countries has linked hospitals, universities and research institutes through various programmes, delivering tangible benefits to public healthcare, he said. More than 3,000 Vietnamese doctors have received professional training in France, with many now holding key positions in healthcare institutions nationwide.

The diplomat expressed confidence that the new initiative would generate innovative solutions benefiting Vietnamese people while further demonstrating the strong and enduring healthcare partnership between the two countries. — VNA/VNS