Biopharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health’s Department of Medical Service Administration to optimise healthcare outcomes for patients.

The tie-up will seek to improve diagnosis, treatment and management of cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, pulmonary, and other non-communicable diseases, helping reduce treatment and social costs and improve patients’ quality of life.

Under the co-operation framework, there will be activities such as professional training and continuous medical education for doctors and support for diagnosis and improvement of treatment quality, disease management and raising community awareness of diseases.

"Boehringer Ingelheim is proud to join hands with the Vietnam Department of Medical Service Administration to promote advances in healthcare in Viet Nam,” Cyndy Bautista-Galimpin, general manager of Boehringer Ingelheim Vietnam, said.

According to the World Health Organisation, non-communicable diseases kill 41 million people each year or equivalent to 74 per cent of all deaths.

Of them, 77 per cent are in low- and middle-income countries, including Viet Nam.

To mark its 25th anniversary in Viet Nam, the company has collaborated with official health agencies to organise scientific congresses in HCM City and Ha Noi in various treatment areas like cardiovascular, respiratory, orthopaedic, neurological, immunological, and oncological, with more than 1,000 doctors from hospitals across the country taking part.

Boehringer Ingelheim is partnering with the Vietnam Stroke Association, HCM Stroke Association and hospitals to improve stroke care.

Some 120 hospitals have joined the Angels project with 98 stroke-ready hospitals, and more than 44,000 patients have benefited from this initiative.

Boehringer Ingelheim is also committed to animal health. The "Rabies vaccination for the community" campaign in Long An Province is an ongoing collaboration with local authorities and others to eliminate rabies.

More than 12,000 dogs and cats have been vaccinated in the last three years. — VNS