The latest healthcare products and technologies are being showcased at the four-day 12^th International Exhibition on Products and Supplies for Healthcare Viet Nam, which opened on Wednesday in HCM City.

Held at the Sai Gon Exhibition and Convention Centre in District 7, the healthcare sector’s biggest event has attracted more than 400 businesses, most of which are from Viet Nam.

More than 600 booths are displaying the latest pharmaceutical products as well as drug manufacturing and packaging machinery, medical equipment and supplies, beauty products and services, and medical environment treatment equipment and supplies.

The annual exhibition is a professional platform where domestic and foreign businesses can promote the latest products and technologies.

The show reflects Vietnamese companies’ strong development of high-quality healthcare products and services, meeting increased demand from local consumers.

This year, the exhibition has attracted companies from many countries and territories including the UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Russia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, South Korea, Japan, India, China and Malaysia.

“Although Viet Nam is listed among the low per capita income countries, our investment in healthcare is remarkably high. In recent years, the health system of Viet Nam has seen many positive changes in budget management,” said Nguyen Dinh Anh, head of the Ministry of Health’s Department of Communication and Emulation.

Anh said the Ministry of Health spent US$11.6 billion, or 6.1 per cent of the national gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015, and is expected to spend this amount until 2018 to improve quality, focusing on major hospitals.

He said that it had been 11 years since the first exhibition was held in 2006 and it is now one of the most prestigious and most anticipated annual events in the healthcare field.

“After the first exhibition, the ministry developed a specific orientation plan to expand the exhibition scale so that it could become not only a showcase to introduce products but also a professional platform for businesses to exchange and seek new partners and suitable business opportunities, and contribute to the improvement of product quality as well as health services in Viet Nam,” Anh said.

At the event, thousands of patients can receive free screening and diagnoses from doctors at HCM City’s District 2 Hospital and University Medical Centre.

The screening and diagnoses are focusing on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, especially cardiovascular screening for adults and congenital cardiovascular diseases in disadvantaged children.

The exhibition is organised by the Ministry of Health, ADPEX Joint-Stock Company, Central Health Communication and Education Centre, Viet Nam Pharmaceutical Companies Association and Viet Nam Medical Products Import – Export Joint-Stock Company. — VNS