Promoting healthcare cooperation between Vietnam and Canada.

On March 13th, at the Ministry of Health headquarters, Professor Tran Van Thuan, Vice Minister of Health, Chairman of the National Medical Council, and Chairman of the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association, received and held a working meeting with Mr. James Nickel, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Vietnam.

Attendees included representatives from the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association; and leaders from the Drug Administration, the Food Safety Administration, the Department of Mother and Child, and the International Cooperation Department.

Professor Tran Van Thuan, Vice Minister of Health and President of the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association, welcomed Mr. James Nickel, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Vietnam, to the Ministry of Health for a visit and working session.

Scenes from the reception and working session.

Welcoming the Ambassador to his new term in Vietnam and wishing him a successful and memorable term, Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan emphasized that the meeting was a very positive start to developing health cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. James Nickel, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Vietnam, expressed his pleasure that relations between the two countries, including in the field of health, have made progress, in line with the Comprehensive Partnership.

The ambassador affirmed that, in his capacity, he would actively contribute to promoting relations between the two countries, including deeper and more effective cooperation in healthcare, in line with the needs and interests of each nation.

During the meeting with the Ambassador, representatives from the Food Safety Department, the Drug Administration Department, the Department of Mother and Child, the International Cooperation Department, and the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association provided further information on the results achieved in each area of ​​activity directly related to the two countries.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan presented a commemorative gift from the Ministry of Health to Ambassador James Nickel.

This includes the "Improving Reproductive Health and Maternal and Child Health for People in Son La Province" project, funded by the Canadian government through the HealthBridge program. The project, implemented from August 2021 to September 2025, targets 2,600 adolescents, 2,500 residents, 40 health workers, and 40 teachers in Son La province. The project aims to improve reproductive health and gender equality, reduce child marriage rates among ethnic minority communities in the area through communication and education activities, enhance women's and girls' empowerment, and improve access to and use of quality reproductive health services for women and girls.

This also includes developing the market for pharmaceuticals, cosmetic products, and vaccines manufactured in Canada that have been granted registration numbers for circulation in Vietnam; and receiving feedback from the Canadian Embassy on revising and supplementing Government Decree 46/ND-CP detailing the implementation of certain articles and measures to organize and guide the implementation of the Law on Food Safety.

Deputy Minister of Health and Chairman of the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association, Tran Van Thuan, expressed his delight after the Canadian Embassy informed him about the project "Improving reproductive health, maternal and child health for people in Son La province" for the period 2026-2029, funded by the Canadian Government, which was recently approved by the Son La Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 564/QD-UBND dated February 25, 2026.

Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan informed that the Ministry of Health has been implementing Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo on some breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care, and improvement of people's health; On August 1, 2025, the Minister of Health issued Decision No. 2488/QD-BYT to implement the Action Plan of the Ministry of Health to implement Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW of the Politburo; and Resolution No. 153/NQ-CP of the Government on international integration in the new situation: Regarding promoting international integration, strengthening cooperation in research, application of science and technology, human resource training, disease prevention, medical examination and treatment, medical equipment, pharmaceutical technology, and building specialized medical centers.

Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan, Ambassador James Nickel, and other delegates pose for a photo.

On behalf of the Ministry of Health leadership, Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan expressed that during his term, Ambassador James Nickel will further promote cooperation between the Ministries of Health of the two countries, and together with Canadian partners, will work closely with the Ministry of Health to implement these priority cooperation contents, contributing to fostering a good cooperative relationship in the field of health between the Governments and people of Vietnam and Canada.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/thuc-day-hop-tac-y-te-giua-viet-nam-va-canada-169260313165742658.htm