Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra held a working session in Hanoi on October 7 with César Louis-Philip Marseille, Managing Director of VAMED Engineering GmbH, to discuss healthcare cooperation and the development of a medical ship model.
Tra said VAMED has worked in Vietnam for nearly three decades, since 1997. During that period, the group implemented about 158 million EUR in ODA-funded projects, including 10 major projects that helped upgrade medical equipment at 15 military hospitals, Bach Mai Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital and Hue Central Hospital, and install medical-waste incinerators for 25 provincial hospital clusters.
Marseille said Vietnam is one of VAMED's important partners in Southeast Asia. The group plans to invest 1.2 billion EUR in Vietnam over the next five years, create jobs for thousands of workers, and promote knowledge and technology transfer. It also wants to expand cooperation through preferential credit projects, public-private partnerships and partnerships with private enterprises, and supply medical products from Austria and Germany to Vietnamese partners.
Marseille proposed studying the development of a hospital ship in Phu Quoc. He said the model could provide healthcare services to large numbers of patients and help strengthen Vietnam's medical capacity.
Tra welcomed the idea, saying Vietnam's long coastline, numerous islands and varied healthcare needs create conditions for studying mobile medical services at sea, particularly for natural disasters and emergencies.
Phu Quoc will host APEC Economic Leaders' Week in 2027. Tra stressed that the proposed hospital ship should have a long-term purpose rather than being designed only for the event. It should strengthen healthcare capacity, support international events and improve healthcare services for the public.
Tra asked VAMED to urgently complete a detailed proposal covering technology, operation and implementation mechanisms. The Ministry of Health was tasked with coordinating with relevant ministries, agencies and An Giang province to assess the project's feasibility, technical requirements, standards and necessary conditions.
The Deputy Prime Minister also asked VAMED to study possible investment in elderly-care and healthcare facilities in Vietnam. The group operates about 60 elderly-care facilities in various countries.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
