Singaporean company helps Vietnam with rare disease treatment

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed by representatives of the Medical Services Administration under Vietnam’s Health Ministry and Shire Vietnam in Hanoi on April 20.

Under the MoU, the Singaporean company will also support Vietnam in improving professional knowledge, implementing policies on rare disease management and ensuring policies on rare medicine supply in the country, said Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the Medical Services Administration. 

During the first stage, the two sides will work together to develop a national guideline to improve the quality of diagnosis, treatment and management of Haemophilia and Primary Immune Deficiency (PID) as well as to support policy development on rare diseases in Vietnam. 

Linda Seah, head of Southeast Asia Cluster at Shire, said Haemophilia and PID are complex rare disorders that require continuous medical research and innovative approach to ensure positive outcome for patients. 

The MoU is the first of its kind for Shire in Asia Pacific, aiming not only to shorten the time for diagnosis but also ensure that patients are well supported with adequate access to therapy and management over the course of their life-long conditions, she said. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are approximately 100 rare diseases reported in Vietnam. It is estimated that almost one in 15 persons, or approximately six million people in the country, suffer from a rare disease. Vietnam has more than 6,000 haemophilia patients, but only 2,400 have been detected their disease situation, while PID remains common and adversely affects the prognosis of these patients.