Viet Nam strengthens health emergency preparedness with risk profiling workshop in Da Nang

In June 2025, severe Tropical Cyclone Wutip destroyed homes in Da Nang, and brought floods and dozens of landslides. Da Nang’s low-lying, coastal location makes its population of 3 million vulnerable to natural hazards, like 70% of Viet Nam’s population. Climate change is predicted to bring more extreme weather. Other threats include infectious diseases, foodborne diseases and zoonotic diseases that jump from animals to people.

To strengthen health security and emergency preparedness for these and other high-risk threats, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pasteur Institute Nha Trang co-facilitated a workshop in October in Da Nang to develop a subnational risk profile using WHO’s Strategic Tool for Assessing Risks (STAR).

The STAR tool aims to strengthen local capacity to anticipate, prepare for and respond to a wide range of hazards. In line with the One Health approach that links human health with animal and environmental health, 32 participants at the three-day workshop represented key institutions, including the Pasteur Institute Nha Trang, Da Nang Center for Disease Control (CDC), 25 Area Health Centers of Da Nang City, Regional Animal Health Office No. 4, Sub-Department of Animal Health and Production, Sub-Department of Water Resources Management and Irrigation, and Food Safety Board of Da Nang City.

This workshop marks the first effort to apply a structured, evidence-based risk profiling approach at the subnational level in Viet Nam. Comprehensive regional risk profiles help local authorities better understand local vulnerabilities and set clear, data-driven priorities for preparedness and response across sectors.

Dr Sangjun Moon, WHO’s Coordinator of the Health Security and Emergency Team, said developing subnational risk profiles ensures local preparedness, grounded in the realities of each region.

“Viet Nam continues to face multiple, complex risks—from extreme weather events to emerging epidemics.

“So, WHO is honoured to collaborate with local and national authorities – and with the generous contribution from the Government of Norway - to support the development of strong, resilient, responsive and inclusive health security capacities to protect health, society and economic development.”

Photo: Climate change is bringing more extreme weather to Da Nang and other parts of Viet Nam. WHO Technical Officer Dr Vu Quang Hieu, left, assesses damage at Yen Binh Commune Health Station in Lang Son Province after floods in October 2025 disrupted health care. Photo credit: WHO

The initiative coincides with Viet Nam’s ongoing reform of its local governance structure into a two-tier model, designed to enhance efficiency and bring services closer to communities.

Dr Do Thai Hung, Director of the Pasteur Institute Nha Trang, which covers Da Nang, emphasized the need for coordinated action after the session.

“This workshop comes at a critical time as the country reorganizes its administrative structure. The findings from Da Nang’s risk profiling will guide us in setting priorities for the newly merged provinces. I deeply appreciate the strong engagement of Da Nang Center for Disease Control and the participation of our partners from animal health, food safety, environmental management and natural resources. Such collaboration is essential to turn these findings into concrete actions,” he noted.

The workshop aligns closely with one of the recommendations from the 2025 Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) core capacities for Viet Nam, which highlighted the need to institutionalize regular multi-hazard risk assessments to guide national and provincial preparedness planning.

Photo: Every year, storms, floods and other disasters disrupt routine health care for communities across Viet Nam. WHO Technical Officer Dr Vu Quang Hieu examines material salvaged from Yen Binh Commune Health Station in Lang Son Province after floods in October 2025. Photo credit: WHO

The multi-hazard risk profile developed in Da Nang will be a valuable reference to contribute to the Government’s development of the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) and support the ongoing revision of the new Law on Disease Prevention, which emphasizes stronger multisectoral coordination and emergency response capacities. This work also contributes to the objectives of Viet Nam’s National Adaptation Plan and its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, by strengthening monitoring and early warning of climate-sensitive health threats, enhancing disease surveillance and integrating climate risk information into health emergency planning.

Dr Nguyen Dai Vinh, Director of Da Nang Centre for Disease Control, said, “Da Nang is proud to be chosen by WHO and the Pasteur Institute Nha Trang to apply the STAR tool for the first time. This risk profiling workshop provides us with a comprehensive, evidence-based and standardized assessment methodology which helps guide the city authorities' planning and investment.”

This workshop marks a significant milestone in Viet Nam’s progress toward a more resilient, risk-informed health system, capable of ensuring readiness for future public health emergencies.

Photo: Provincial human health, animal health, environmental and food safety partners in Da Nang joined a WHO and Pasteur Institute Nha Trang workshop to develop a subnational risk profile – for a healthier and safer Viet Nam. Photo Credit: WHO