Medical research improves care across Vietnam
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Researchers in Vietnam have translated prize-winning medical studies into improved patient care nationwide.
The Ministry of Science and Technology highlighted three areas of research that moved from laboratories to practical application: organ transplants, tuberculosis screening, and maternal health. In 1992, doctors at Military Hospital 103 performed Vietnam’s first successful kidney transplant with foreign assistance, later expanding liver transplant capabilities and establishing a comprehensive transplant program involving patient selection, surgery, and long-term follow-up.
Researchers led by Associate Professor Nguyễn Viết Nhung developed a strategy for actively screening communities for tuberculosis using chest X-rays and molecular tests. This work also led to new treatment regimens, diagnostic tools, and devices for lung biopsies now used in hospitals. The team designed techniques usable in both hospitals and community health networks, extending the reach of care. Professor Cao Ngọc Thành and his team focused on reproductive health in underserved areas.
They developed a model to predict and prevent pre-eclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy complication, and adapted cervical cancer screening for use in local clinics, also improving care for ethnic minority women. The Ministry of Health adopted the team’s findings into national guidelines issued in April 2021.
