Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long: 'Comprehensive digital transformation in the healthcare sector'

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long emphasized that it is necessary to change the mindset from medical examination and treatment to focusing on disease prevention, especially innovation and comprehensive digital transformation in the healthcare sector.

On June 6, 2025, FPT and Pharma Group, representing the pharmaceutical industry in Vietnam, organized the Forum “Innovation in the Healthcare Sector”. The event is a multi-dimensional dialogue forum between policy makers, management agencies, domestic and foreign experts, pharmaceutical enterprises, technology enterprises, medical examination and treatment facilities, etc. to find the most effective solutions for people's health care.

This forum focuses on discussing breakthrough solutions to promote the development of science, technology, and innovation in priority areas of the health sector; enhancing the application of artificial intelligence, accelerating digital transformation in the field of public health care.

Digital transformation is a vital condition for the medical industry.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long said that the above issues pose an urgent need for innovation in leadership, direction, and strong implementation of public health care in the new era as directed by the General Secretary at meetings with the health sector. Changing the mindset of medical examination and treatment to focus on disease prevention, especially innovation and comprehensive digital transformation in the health sector.

“In the context of the fourth industrial revolution and digital transformation taking place strongly, the Vietnamese healthcare sector needs to have a comprehensive transformation for sustainable development, fairness and international integration. With that spirit, I propose 5 key orientations.

“First, strongly promote digital transformation in healthcare, effectively deploy electronic medical records, electronic prescriptions, interconnect medical and insurance data, and apply new technologies such as AI, blockchain, and IoT. Second, improve scientific research capacity, especially in biotechnology and disease surveillance. Third, develop the domestic pharmaceutical industry, focusing on research on new drugs, vaccines, and medical equipment. Fourth, strengthen public-private partnership, creating favorable conditions for businesses to participate in providing high-quality healthcare services. And finally, expand international cooperation, develop modern digital healthcare,” said Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long speaks at the forum. Photo: TK

At the forum, Mr. Dau Anh Tuan, Deputy Secretary General, Head of the Legal Department of the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry, pointed out a paradox: Vietnam has a lot of room to develop the private economic sector, but the administrative apparatus has not kept up with the pace of business development.

“The biggest gap today is not between regions, not between domestic and foreign enterprises, but the gap between business speed and administrative speed. It is the slowness of institutions and procedures that is stifling innovation,” said Mr. Tuan.

Vietnam could become a regional hub for large-scale clinical trials

Speaking at the forum, Mr. Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of FPT and Head of the Private Economic Development Research Board, raised a series of thorny questions: Why can Vietnam only access 42 out of 460 new drugs in the world? Why is Vietnamese healthcare still far behind Singapore and Japan? The answer, according to him, lies in the mechanism, not human capacity.

Associate Professor Dr. Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FPT Corporation, Head of the Private Economic Development Research Board, spoke at the forum. Photo: TK

Mr. Binh said that healthcare cannot continue to be managed in a way that if it cannot be managed, it is banned. Mechanisms must be understood as part of national competitiveness. When a country wants its people to live healthy lives, the mechanism must allow people to access services, medicines, and modern medical equipment quickly, transparently, and fairly.

“Why do Vietnamese people have illnesses, the world has medicines but Vietnamese people cannot use them? It is not because we lack money or capacity, but because we lack an open enough mechanism,” he said.

Dr. Philipp Rösler: Vietnam has the opportunity to develop the pharmaceutical industry thanks to technology

According to Mr. Truong Gia Binh, Vietnam possesses many strategic advantages, with up to 1 million IT engineers, hundreds of thousands of people in their golden age, and a strong computer infrastructure to develop AI. FPT is committed to converting half of them, about 500,000 engineers, into a specialized force in artificial intelligence, serving key areas such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

“20 years ago, Vietnam did not have a software industry, but now it is the world’s top 2 in exports. With healthcare, we can do the same,” Mr. Binh affirmed.

Not just stopping at ideas, he made specific proposals: Vietnam can become a large-scale clinical trial center in the region, leading in the production of innovative drugs, integrating AI into diagnosis and treatment.

To do that, the core elements are linking medical data, training a hybrid workforce between medicine and information technology, and a legal mechanism that is fast enough and broad enough for innovation.

Sharing at the event, Mr. Hoang Viet Anh, Chairman of FPT Telecom, said, “AI and GenAI create positive effects for the global pharmaceutical industry. According to reports, GenAI in the period of 2024 - 2029 will contribute from 60-110 billion USD/year. All stages in the pharmaceutical industry's supply chain benefit from the application of Gen AI. Of which, there are 2 notable areas: research to invent new pharmaceuticals and clinical trials of new drugs.”

Mr. Hoang Viet Anh also said that this is the golden time to promote digital transformation and strong technology application for the pharmaceutical industry, and at the same time proposed a roadmap for applying AI to the Vietnamese pharmaceutical industry from now until 2028.

Specifically, in 2025, we will start building a centralized database for the pharmaceutical industry and pilot an AI lab model for clinical trials of new drugs in Vietnam. In 2026, we will pilot the AI ​​blockchain tool to increase the effectiveness of preventing counterfeit and poor quality drugs. In 2027, we aim to reduce 20% of clinical trial time for new drugs. In 2028, Vietnam will become a bright spot in the AI ​​hub for pharmaceuticals and healthcare in the ASEAN region.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/pho-thu-tuong-le-thanh-long-chuyen-doi-so-toan-dien-trong-linh-vuc-y-te-2408777.html