Donors Making a Difference

In 2026, Viet Nam reached a historic milestone, when World Health Day on 7 August was officially recognized as All People’s Health Day, following the Government’s adoption of Resolution 72. This marked an important affirmation of health as a foundation of national development.

The shift, from a treatment‑focused health system to one centred on proactive, life‑course prevention, represents a profound transformation that will shape the country’s health system for decades to come, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Viet Nam Dr Angela Pratt wrote in a commentary.

Aligned with this, the joint programme of the Ministry of Health and WHO is designed to tackle the major public health challenges that will define Viet Nam’s future. It includes creating healthier environments across the life course – including safe and nutritious food, active lifestyles, injury prevention and clean air. The work programme strengthens grassroots health care, advances earlier disease detection and prevention, reinforces protection against emerging and resurging health threats, and addresses climate and environmental risks such as air pollution while helping the health system become more climate‑resilient.

The following examples highlight WHO’s impact across these and other priority areas during the first half of 2026.

Millions benefit from better health services closer to home

Ms Hua Thi Thien says staff at the commune health station like Dr Than Thi Kim Loi, left, are “dedicated, attentive and explain things clearly. I can see the difference. So, I really trust them.” Photo: WHO Viet Nam / Loan Tran

To help deliver health for all, WHO and partners are supporting efforts to strengthen commune health stations, reflecting the Government’s commitment to primary health care as the foundation of the health system.

A care model developed jointly by WHO and the Government has already enabled around 10 million people to be screened for hypertension and diabetes, and treated more than 2 million people in total. It has contributed to a 50% rise in effective blood pressure and glucose management. This work improves equity and ensures people like Ms Hua Thi Thien in Ho Chi Minh City receive continuous, high-quality care closer to home.

On 1 July, Viet Nam’s new Law on Disease Prevention came into effect, marking a major shift from treating illness to prioritizing prevention. By addressing mental health, nutrition and disease prevention in a more integrated way, the law aims to reduce the country’s overall disease burden. WHO welcomed the legislation as a landmark step toward universal health coverage, ensuring that every person can access routine check‑ups and free‑of‑charge screening.

Other recent milestones include the 30^th anniversary of the founding of the Drug Administration of Viet Nam, which has made important contributions to public health by increasing access to safe and affordable medical products, and the development of the pharmaceutical sector in Viet Nam.  

Progress on tobacco control recognized globally

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, right, congratulated Health Vice Minister Vu Manh Ha for Viet Nam’s outstanding contribution to tobacco control. Photo: WHO / Antoine Tardy 

Viet Nam continued to receive global recognition for its strong leadership in tobacco control. At the World Health Assembly in May, a World No Tobacco Day Award was presented to the Vice Minister of Health, honouring the contributions of the Ministry of Health’s Department of Legislation, the Health Policy and Strategy Institute, the Poison Control Center at Bach Mai Hospital, and the Viet Nam Tobacco Control Fund.

Early signs show that the ban on e‑cigarettes and heated tobacco products is reducing youth use, leading to fewer emergency cases and stronger enforcement. Tobacco tax reforms are also expected to deliver major health gains. WHO estimates that by 2031, these reforms could help 2.1 million people quit or avoid smoking and prevent around 700,000 premature deaths.

To mark National No Tobacco Week and World No Tobacco Day, WHO urged continued vigilance against industry tactics that threaten full implementation of recent reforms, and welcomed ambitions to create a tobacco‑free generation to protect children and young people.

Recognizing that personal stories are powerful motivators for quitting tobacco, e‑cigarettes and heated tobacco products, WHO spoke with former smokers and vapers who shared their experiences and inspiring stories.

Immediate response to health emergencies

Ms Hajnalka Horvath from WHO’s Health Emergency, Preparedness and Response Division in Switzerland, hands over critical botulism antitoxin to Vietnamese health officials upon arrival in Ha Noi, before onward transport to Da Nang. Photo: WHO Viet Nam / Loan Tran

WHO was privileged to support Viet Nam in responding to urgent requests for life‑saving medication during the first half of 2026.

When three young brothers became critically ill with suspected botulism after food poisoning, WHO Viet Nam worked closely with national and local authorities, WHO headquarters in Geneva, the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office in Manila and partners to rapidly deploy urgently needed botulism antitoxin. The event highlighted both the power of strong partnerships to deliver swift assistance and the importance of continued investment in national preparedness.

Several months later, WHO was asked to urgently procure injectable artesunate from Cambodia to bridge a temporary supply gap for patients with life-threatening malaria. WHO Viet Nam coordinated with national agencies, the Regional Office, WHO Cambodia and partners to deliver the medicine. A few days later , two patients who had been critically ill were discharged from hospital; one of them had been treated with the artesunate supplied through this coordinated response.

Strengthening health security capacity

At Tân Vĩnh Lộc commune health station in Ho Chi Minh City, parents were interviewed about their vaccination knowledge, attitudes and practices, as part of a national immunization review. Photo: WHO Viet Nam / My Pham

WHO and partners are helping strengthen Viet Nam’s capacity to anticipate and respond to risks – from infectious diseases to natural hazards. 

In March, the Viet Nam Administration of Disease Prevention at the Ministry of Health and WHO conducted a national immunization programme review, with more than 40 national and international experts. The assessment highlighted strengths while also identifying opportunities to enhance cold chain capacity, vaccine supply, service delivery, human resources and access in hard-to-reach areas. The findings will support the Ministry of Health’s future work, which WHO is proud to support, to ensure equitable protection, reduce the number of children without any vaccination, and advance immunization throughout the different stages of life.

Recognizing the interconnectedness of human, environmental and animal health, WHO and partners signed a Viet Nam One Health Partnership for Zoonotic Diseases (2026-2030). With partners including Government and UN agencies, international development partners and the private sector, this milestone signals stronger coordination and a shared responsibility for health security.

To learn lessons from widespread flooding caused by successive typhoons in northern and central Viet Nam in 2025, the Government, WHO and partners conducted an after-action review in early 2026, bringing together national and provincial health authorities to review what worked, identify challenges, and capture lessons learned. The aim: stronger preparedness and response mechanisms.

WHO also supported the Government to strengthen preparedness for global emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases such as Ebola virus disease, Hantavirus and Nipah virus. For example, in June 2026, WHO facilitated the provision of materials from Germany to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) to support its ability to test for Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus. In August 2026, WHO coordinated the donation and delivery of Nipah virus diagnostic kits and materials from India to the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City to strengthen national readiness to detect Nipah virus. These efforts enhanced Viet Nam’s capacity for preparedness and response to high-threat pathogens.

Disease control and progress towards elimination

Ms Ly Thi Nhieu a malaria officer at Pa U commune health station in Lai Chau Province, speaks to WHO Technical Officer Dr Nguyen Thi Thuy Van about her intensive community outreach work to end malaria. Photo: WHO Viet Nam / My Pham

Malaria is now very close to elimination in Viet Nam. The country has set an ambitious target - to stop transmission from 2027 and achieve national elimination by 2030. WHO is proud to support last-mile efforts to stamp out malaria for good.

Free annual health check-ups provided for under Resolution 72 mark a turning point for tuberculosis control in Viet Nam. Check-ups will be a powerful platform to screen for people at risk and detect TB earlier - especially among those who have mild or no symptoms. This is important, because up to 40 percent of cases remain undetected. Each year, around 180,000 people develop TB, and tragically, about 12,000 people still die. But the 2025 Annual Review and the launch of Viet Nam’s National TB Strategic Plan 2026-2030 offer opportunities to confront one of the world’s oldest and deadliest diseases.

Creating healthier environments across the life course

Older adults exercise at Ngoc Lam Garden, Ha Noi. Photo: WHO Viet Nam.

As Viet Nam moves towards creating healthier food environments, WHO’s work includes support to implement the Disease Prevention Law, reducing excess salt consumption, developing front-of-package nutrition labelling, regulating nutrition and health claims, protecting children from unhealthy food marketing, and promoting the country’s new school health programme.

In line with this increased focus on disease prevention, WHO worked with partners on evidence-based actions to improve nutrition. This included a workshop for journalists in August. WHO recommendations include front-of-package warning nutrition labels, which provide clear information to help people make healthier choices - and encourage companies to make healthier products, and protecting children from the aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods.

WHO and partners celebrated Food Safety Day with a focus on practical solutions including food handling and hygiene practices, consumer awareness, food traceability technologies, evidence through research and stronger policies.

WHO and partners continue to promote physical activity among children and adolescents through the Community Sports and Health Cooperation Initiative. The Initiative helps empower students to lead activities among their peers – from being school sports ambassadors and organizing dance activities, to online challenges and creative competitions – helping students to stay active and develop positive habits through school and community activities.

Drowning prevention

Children in Da Nang learn survival swimming. Photo: Global Health Advocacy Incubator

Viet Nam has achieved a remarkable public health milestone, reducing child drowning deaths by more than 20% between 2020 and 2025. This progress reflects years of sustained investment in evidence‑based programmes, including survival swimming lessons for more than 5.8 million children aged 6 to 16 between 2021 and 2024. Today, over one‑third of Vietnamese children aged 6 to 15 can swim — surpassing the national target of 30% set for the 2021–2025 period. Building on this momentum, Viet Nam’s national drowning prevention programme is now aiming for a further 10% reduction in drowning by 2030.

As child drowning prevention efforts transitioned to full Government ownership under the Administration of Maternal and Child Affairs in the Ministry of Health, WHO reaffirmed its commitment to providing ongoing technical and advocacy support to help Viet Nam continue protecting children and saving lives.

Injury prevention – road safety

Nguyen Chi Tam makes sure Phuc Dien, 13 months and known as Bean, is secured into his child car seat before every trip. Photo: Nguyen Thi Phuong Anh

Bringing the number of child and young adult road deaths down to zero remains a strong focus of the Viet Nam Project 2000 Road Safety Partnership, whose multi-sectoral membership is expanding.

Among the priority actions are helping to create safer school zones, establish technical standards for children’s motorcycle helmets and encouraging parents and caregivers to secure children into child restraint systems, which became compulsory on 1 July.

Addressing climate change and air pollution

Aedes albopictus, commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito, is an aggressive day-biting insect that serves as a primary carrier for the dengue virus. Photo: WHO / Hedinn Halldorsson

Climate change is already affecting health systems in Viet Nam, with extreme weather and climate-sensitive diseases adding pressure to health facilities and health care workers. As well, the health sector contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. In response, WHO is helping build the evidence, policies and partnerships needed to reduce exposure to air pollution and strengthen climate-resilient health systems, protecting health today while preparing for future climate risks.

Viet Nam is one of two countries chosen to test 20 indicators on climate resilience and greenhouse gas emissions in health‑care facilities. WHO Viet Nam and the Viet Nam Administration of Disease Prevention at the Ministry of Health held a national workshop to review and validate this global pilot. The workshop brought together national and local stakeholders to discuss the results, check what data are available, assess how practical the indicators are, and identify ways to strengthen capacity for evidence‑based planning, implementation and reporting.

At the Philanthropy Asia Summit 2026 in Singapore, WHO Viet Nam joined with partners for the launch of a new partnership that aims to strengthen climate-resilient health systems.

On World Environment Day, 5 June, WHO was proud to attend an event organized by the Ha Noi People’s Committee to launch Ha Noi’s environmental monitoring system. This system is an important step towards better data, stronger public awareness, and more effective action to improve air quality. WHO is committed to ongoing work with local and national Governments and other UN agencies to reduce air pollution and build a healthier future for all.

Partnerships for a healthier future

The big health challenges of today are increasingly complex, multidimensional and interconnected. Cleaning up the air we breathe, improving the food we eat and the water we drink, and making the environments in which we live, learn and work healthier, require the engagement of sectors beyond health, including environment, agriculture, education, labour and transportation.

A healthier future for Viet Nam therefore depends on collective, coordinated efforts that bring together diverse stakeholders including the Government, development partners, nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions and the private sector. Hence, WHO’s work in Viet Nam is grounded in a deep conviction about the power of partnership.

As a partner, WHO’s unique value lies in its ability to act as a trusted catalyst for collective action for health – bringing together global standards, technical expertise and country-level insight to help Viet Nam find lasting, scalable solutions that will improve health outcomes. As the leading global public health organization, WHO is uniquely positioned to convene diverse actors, align efforts and translate shared ambitions into coherent policy and implementation.

In all partnerships, WHO is committed to transparency, accountability and results – ensuring measurable impact and lasting value for the people we serve.

Strength in partnership

WHO in Viet Nam sincerely thanks all our Member States, partners and donors who have generously contributed to the Organization’s work in support of the Government and people of Viet Nam. With sustained and predictable financing, WHO will be able to continue to advance health equity, help bring health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track, and “future-proof” health systems and communities - ensuring resilience against the inevitable shocks and challenges of the post-SDG era.