Viet Nam has strengthened its pandemic preparedness systems over more than a decade through sustained technical and financial support from the World Health Organization, positioning itself as an increasingly active contributor to regional and global health security efforts, according to a feature report published on April 17.

Central to this progress has been the implementation of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework Partnership Contribution, which since 2013 has supported the development of coordinated national planning mechanisms.

Vietnamese health authorities have established and continuously updated the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan, alongside a national vaccine deployment strategy, creating a structured framework for emergency response.

Although initially designed to address influenza outbreaks, the preparedness plan provided the operational backbone for Viet Nam’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities revised the framework in 2023 to incorporate lessons learned from that crisis, further aligning it with evolving public health risks.

Laboratory capacity has also expanded significantly under the programme. Four regional laboratory institutes, including two National Influenza Centres, have enhanced capabilities in viral isolation, molecular diagnostics and genomic sequencing.

These investments enabled rapid adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic, when laboratory networks were repurposed to support SARS-CoV-2 testing and variant tracking.Officials from the National Influenza Centres said the strengthened systems improved both domestic response capacity and Viet Nam’s contribution to global surveillance efforts.

Laboratory data generated through these facilities has supported international monitoring of respiratory viruses and informed public health decision-making.Surveillance systems have been reinforced through improvements in monitoring influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infections.

Enhanced data quality, reporting mechanisms and coordination across institutions have allowed earlier detection of unusual respiratory disease clusters.The system integrates multiple levels of the health sector, including the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pasteur Institutes, provincial Centers for Disease Control, hospitals and laboratories.

This network feeds into global platforms such as the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System and WHO’s RespiMart data-sharing platform.Authorities have moved to institutionalize integrated surveillance covering influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens under the 2026–2035 National Target Programme on Healthcare, Population and Development.

The initiative aims to strengthen early warning capabilities by linking community-level data, clinical reporting and laboratory analysis into a unified system.Viet Nam has also expanded its capacity to assess zoonotic disease risks.

The country adopted the Joint Risk Assessment tool in 2019, enabling coordinated evaluation of health threats across animal and human sectors. In 2024, this mechanism supported responses to two avian influenza incidents, demonstrating cross-ministerial coordination and rapid decision-making.Health officials say these measures reflect a broader effort to integrate public health preparedness into national development planning.

Investments in health security have accompanied Viet Nam’s wider socio-economic growth, with authorities emphasizing the importance of sustained international cooperation.Dr Vo Hai Son, Deputy Director General of the Viet Nam Administration of Disease Prevention, said the country’s progress has been supported in part by long-term collaboration with WHO under the preparedness framework.

He noted that continued engagement with global partners remains essential to maintaining and expanding system capacity.The WHO report highlights Viet Nam’s role in contributing to regional preparedness by sharing surveillance data, strengthening laboratory networks and participating in global health initiatives.

These efforts are expected to support collective responses to future pandemics and emerging infectious diseases.The report indicates that Viet Nam’s preparedness system is now more interconnected and responsive, with improved capacity to detect, assess and respond to public health threats.

Ongoing collaboration with international partners is expected to further enhance these capabilities as the country continues to invest in health system resilience.