The GAVI delegation was led by Caitlin Longden, director of MICs Programme at GAVI, along with representatives of international organisations.

Huong reaffirmed that Vietnam highly values its strategic partnership with GAVI. Over the years, GAVI’s support has been instrumental in maintaining high immunisation coverage, effectively controlling infectious diseases and safeguarding public health.

Referring to the recent assessment of Vietnam’s immunisation system conducted across seven provinces and cities with support from GAVI and partners, Huong noted that the findings provide an important evidence base for identifying gaps and shaping practical solutions for the next phase.

The Deputy Minister also highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the legal framework for immunisation, including the development of a decree guiding the Law on Disease Prevention, which aims to introduce comprehensive measures and gradually institutionalise expanded immunisation as a mandatory public health intervention.

She proposed further cooperation with GAVI to reinforce the immunisation system, focusing on policy development, capacity building for grassroots healthcare workers, alongside strengthening cold chain infrastructure, and optimising vaccine use to improve both efficiency and coverage.

A key priority raised by Vietnam is the need for continued support in expanding access to new vaccines, including rotavirus, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and dengue vaccines, which are considered critical to improving population health outcomes in the coming years.

At the meeting, Longden provided updates on the implementation progress of the GAVI 5.0 strategy and discussed proposed areas of cooperation for the upcoming GAVI 6.0 phase.

A representative of the World Health Organisation in Vietnam acknowledged the country’s strong immunisation performance, highlighting high coverage rates, strong government commitment, and readiness to introduce new vaccines.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Lien Huong expressed Vietnam’s support for GAVI’s 2026–2030 vision, particularly its focus on equity and the principle of “leaving no one behind.” In the context of evolving financial support mechanisms for lower-middle-income countries, she affirmed that Vietnam would proactively develop sustainable financing strategies to ensure the long-term stability of its National Immunisation Programme, while looking forward to continued collaboration with GAVI in new priority areas.

Ministry of Health grants circulation approval for hand, foot and mouth vaccine

VOV.VN - Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has granted circulation approval for several new vaccines in the 58th approval round, including Envacgen, a vaccine against hand, foot and mouth disease caused by Enterovirus A71 (EV71), as sporadic cases are still recorded.