The partnership has brought about significant changes, particularly in healthcare sector, aiming to ensure sustainable, equitable and efficient healthcare for the entire population in Viet Nam.

 Participants at the working session on July 3 at the headquarters of Viet Nam Social Security in Ha Noi

Deputy Director General of Viet Nam Social Security Nguyen Duc Hoa made the assessment when he chaired a working session with a delegation from Sanofi-Aventis Viet Nam, led by Emin Turan, General Manager of Sanofi-Aventis Viet Nam and former Chairman of Pharma Group on July 3 at the VSS headquarters in Ha Noi.

The focus of the meeting was collaboration in the field of health insurance.

Hoa said Viet Nam had made remarkable progress in achieving universal health insurance coverage, with over 90.6 million people enrolled in health insurance so far.

As a result, the rights of health insurance participants were better safeguarded than ever before, and notable enhancements have been made to the transparency and effectiveness of the information system for management and operation.

VSS Deputy Director General Nguyen Duc Hoa gives flowers to Didier Martin, the new Director of Pharmaceuticals at Sanofi-Aventis Viet Nam at the working session

Despite the achievements, the Viet Nam Social Security faced numerous challenges in implementing health insurance policies.

The challenges include ensuring full access to quality drugs, medical supplies and technical services for the health insurance participants within the funding capabilities of the health insurance fund; effectively managing of the fund’s expenditure on drugs, medical supplies and technical medical services; innovating methods of payment between the Viet Nam Social Security and healthcare facilities; and taking measures to prevent the misuse of the fund.

"Therefore, the Viet Nam Social Security aims to enhance cooperation with French healthcare sector representatives to achieve sustainable development goals in the health insurance policy’s implementation and social security in the near future," he said.

Speaking at the meeting, Emin Turan, General Manager of Sanofi-Aventis Viet Nam, former Chairman of Pharma Group, said that universal health insurance coverage and ensuring good health care for the health insurance participants were common goals for Pharma and the Viet Nam Social Security.

Thus, the two sides had engaged in highly effective collaborative activities over the past time.

Highlighting some collaborative initiatives, he said that both sides actively coordinated in effectively organising many programmes.

Particularly, the two sides had successfully organised the workshop "Towards better management of chronic diseases in Viet Nam" on January 22, 2024, which aimed to exchange international experiences on effective chronic disease management solutions.

The two sides also made recommendations for general chronic disease management policies and the efficient management of the health insurance fund for Viet Nam’s insurance sector as well as providing modern communication training on digital platforms to the VSS’s officials.

 Participants take a group photo at the working session

Sanofi aspired to be a reliable and long-term partner, accompanying the VSS in the field of health insurance and committing to supporting community healthcare efforts, he said.

As a leader in the creative industry, Sanofi pledged to share the best global practices in healthcare financing, based on scientific evidence, to help Viet Nam achieve the goal of ensuring the best health for its people, he added.

During the meeting, Hoa also presented Turan with the "For the cause of Viet Nam Social Security" commemorative medal, recognising Turan's enthusiastic contributions to social security and national health insurance in Viet Nam during his tenure.

Turan expressed gratitude for the warm sentiments extended to him by the VSS throughout his tenure at Sanofi and introduced his successor, the new Director of Pharmaceuticals at Sanofi-Aventis Viet Nam, Didier Martin.

Martin then pledged to build upon past successes and affirmed his commitment to supporting and collaborating with the VSS on discussed issues, particularly in implementing activities under the signed Memorandum of Understanding./.