WHO commends Viet Nam’s efforts in tobacco harm prevention and control

Associate Professor Dr. Vu Manh Ha, alternate member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Minister of Health led a delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health to participate in the WHA79 from May 18–22.

The recognition demonstrated the international community's acknowledgment of Viet Nam's efforts in developing policies and legal frameworks, raising public awareness, and implementing tobacco control measures in recent years.

Addressing the plenary session, Deputy Minister Vu Manh Ha stressed the need to enhance international cooperation to effectively tackle growing global health challenges, including emerging diseases, climate change, and non-communicable diseases.

He affirmed that global health is no longer an issue for individual countries alone, but requires solidarity and collective action from the international community.

The Deputy Minister highlighted three key priorities of Viet Nam.

First, Viet Nam will continue strengthening primary healthcare and grassroots health systems to ensure all people, especially those in remote and disadvantaged areas, have access to comprehensive and quality healthcare services, moving toward universal health coverage.

Second, the country called for promoting global health security through a fairer global health architecture, enhanced responsibility-sharing, greater data transparency, and equitable access to vaccines, treatments, and medical products in line with the spirit of the WHO Pandemic Agreement.

Third, Viet Nam emphasized the need to address the health impacts of climate change. The country is accelerating efforts to transform its healthcare system to better adapt to and mitigate climate-related risks while seeking continued international cooperation and support in this area.

Vu noted that "reshaping global health" requires not only adjustments to legal frameworks but also a shift in mindset from passive response to proactive prevention and from competition to cooperation.

He reaffirmed Viet Nam's commitment to sharing experience, contributing resources, and working closely with countries and international organizations to build a safer, fairer, and more resilient global health system capable of responding to future challenges.

On the sidelines of the assembly, Vu and the Vietnamese delegation held meetings with health ministry leaders from Cuba, Malaysia, Laos, and Japan, as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations and businesses, to exchange experience and promote cooperation in areas of shared interest.

Viet Nam is one of the countries demonstrating a strong commitment to tobacco harm prevention. This commitment is reflected in Viet Nam's participation in the FCTC on November 11, 2004, as well as the enactment of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Law on June 18, 2012.

The National Assembly approved an amended excise tax law in June 2025, which introduces a new mixed tax system set to take effect in 2027, with tobacco taxes scheduled to rise progressively until 2031. In addition to tax increases, another key measure is the creation of smoke-free environments, particularly in public spaces and within the tourism sector.

Viet Nam is actively collaborating with the international community to promote tobacco harm prevention and the creation of smoke-free environments, contributing to the protection of public health and fulfilling its commitments under the FCTC./.