International cooperation to promote the development of ophthalmology and regenerative medicine in Vietnam

The achievements of Dong Do Hospital not only bring effective treatment to domestic patients but also contribute to limiting the situation of people having to go abroad for medical treatment. The hospital is also the destination of many international patients.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen emphasized this in his speech at the 15th Anniversary Ceremony of Dong Do Hospital and the official launch of the hospital's Tissue Bank this afternoon (December 5).

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health , Vietnam has approximately 300,000 people who are blind due to corneal diseases. Each year, the number of people blind due to corneal diseases increases by 15,000 people. The waiting list for transplants is about 1,000 patients. Although most can restore vision through standard corneal transplants, the tissue source is still limited, not meeting the need for widespread treatment.

In September 2025, the Ministry of Health officially licensed Dong Do Hospital to operate the Tissue Bank, marking a strategic step in the roadmap to perfecting the hospital's "treatment ecosystem".

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen spoke at the ceremony.

Sharing at the ceremony, MSc. Dr. Dinh Thi Phuong Thuy, Executive Director of the Hospital, said that the Tissue Bank will take full responsibility for the entire process chain according to international standards, from receiving, screening, quality control, preservation, tracing to distributing tissues for clinical use.

This is an important foundation for implementing advanced transplantation techniques (including corneal transplantation), shortening waiting times, increasing accessibility and improving the reliability of treatment results for patients.

The Tissue Bank also stores and preserves amniotic membranes from healthy postpartum mothers. This is a valuable tissue source for treating corneal surface diseases and many complex emergency situations.

"Proactively providing cornea and amniotic membrane resources helps the Hospital respond quickly to emergency cases of ocular surface injuries; reduces dependence on external tissue sources; increases the success rate of transplants and intensive treatments; and opens up recovery opportunities for patients who seem to have no hope," said Master, Doctor Dinh Thi Phuong Thuy.

The Tissue Bank is directly advised by Professor Naoshi Shinozaki—a leading expert with over two decades of experience in corneal transplantation, tissue banking, and the development of high-quality health systems. He is also a pioneer in ethics, access, and safety in organ and tissue transplantation recognized by the World Health Organization.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said that over the past 15 years, Dong Do Hospital has received and successfully treated hundreds of thousands of patients, from simple cases to complex cases requiring high techniques.

The Deputy Minister of Health requested the Hospital to continue promoting its achievements; promote the application of science and technology, develop advanced techniques, enhance digital transformation, and move towards a smart hospital model.

At the same time, hospitals need to pay more attention to the fields of regenerative medicine, tissue and organ transplantation, while maintaining medical ethics, promoting volunteer activities and social responsibility.

"The launch of the Tissue Bank not only opens up opportunities to restore sight to thousands of patients but also affirms the hospital's pioneering role in the strategy of developing ophthalmology and regenerative medicine in Vietnam," said Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen.

Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen witnessed Dong Do Hospital signing international cooperation in the fields of stem cells, corneal transplants and hospital administration.

At the celebration, Dong Do Hospital signed an international cooperation agreement focusing on three key areas such as developing a corneal transplant program according to international standards with a complete chain process; co-developing stem cell research and gene technology in ophthalmology; upgrading hospital operation standards according to the Japanese model; At the same time, the hospital was also awarded the Certificate of Excellence for NIDEK's Advanced Ophthalmic Technology by NIDEK (Japan) according to Japan's strict quality standards.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/hop-tac-quoc-te-de-thuc-day-phat-trien-nganh-nhan-khoa-va-y-hoc-tai-tao-tai-viet-nam-1692512051933403.htm