Kare Geil, International Unit of the Danish Ministry of Health, attended the workshop in Denmark.

Mikkel Lyndrup, health counsellor of Denmark’s Embassy in Vietnam and representatives of Vietnam Social Security (VSS) agencies also took part in the workshop.

The VSS and the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam signed the first health insurance co-operation agreement on August 21, 2018 for the 2018-20 period, creating a legal framework for the development and implementation of health insurance policies in Vietnam.

According to a representative of the VSS’ health insurance policy implementation board, the outcomes of the co-operation showed the feasibility and practical effectiveness of multiple types of collaboration which expands the scope and extent of benefits for Vietnamese social insurance staff at both national and local levels.

Some of the outstanding activities include improving the capacity of health insurance examiners in a number of localities; assisting Vietnamese social insurance staff to attend the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research in Japan; as well as granting DFC scholarships for Vietnamese social insurance officers to study in Denmark.

The VSS and the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding for health insurance co-operation in the 2021-22 period on December 2, 2020.

The two sides agreed to exchange scientific information and research on effective cost management, improving understanding of non-communicable diseases and building the capacity of Vietnamese social insurance staff in the field of health economics; exchanging information and sharing experiences in areas related to health insurance policy development, and other areas.

 An overview of the online workshop

Speaking at the workshop, a representative of the VSS said the workshop was the first event to be held within the co-operation framework between the two sides in the 2021-22 period.

The VSS expects that the co-operation activities will create conditions to improve the capacity of Vietnamese social insurance staff in health economics as well as extend their knowledge in organising, managing and using the health insurance fund.

“From your [Denmark’s] practice, we have gained more experience in drug price control mechanisms, effective and affordable drug procurement strategies. We have had more information to make proposals for the amendment of our health insurance law and make it relevant with reality in Vietnam,” the representative told the workshop.

At the workshop, Mikkel Lyndrup, health counsellor of Denmark’s Embassy in Vietnam, briefly spoke about the healthcare system in Denmark, discussed relations between the healthcare system and health insurance policy and shared Denmark’s experience.