Medicine University Launches Vaccinology Postgraduate Program
Key Highlights from the Seminar on Vaccinology and Preventive Healthcare
A recent seminar brought together over 50 delegates from health organizations, international experts, and leaders of medical universities across the country. The event focused on the development of a postgraduate vaccinology training course, aiming to enhance the preventive capabilities of future healthcare professionals and establish a sustainable healthcare foundation in the context of an ageing population.
Vietnam's Ageing Population and Health Challenges
Experts highlighted that Vietnam is entering a period of rapid population ageing. Currently, about 12 million people are aged 60 years or older, with this number projected to exceed 21 million by 2035. The prevalence of chronic diseases is also rising sharply, becoming a significant concern. It is estimated that approximately two-thirds of Vietnamese individuals aged 60 and above have at least one chronic underlying condition.
In this context, older adults are increasingly vulnerable to vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. While the average life expectancy in Vietnam is around 74 years, the healthy life expectancy is only about 65 years. This means that each person spends the last 8–10 years of their life dealing with illness. Infectious diseases place a heavy burden on healthcare, social, and economic systems.
Shift to Prevention Strategies
To address these challenges, experts recommend a shift from treatment-focused approaches to prevention strategies. These include promoting healthy lifestyles through campaigns to reduce modifiable risk factors, implementing medical prevention through screening programs, and focusing on immunity strategies to mitigate non-modifiable risk factors.
Assoc. Prof. Ngo Quoc Dat, rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, shared insights on how some European and U.S. countries have integrated vaccinology into medical education courses. He emphasized that such models help healthcare professionals improve their knowledge, skills, and confidence in vaccination counselling and practice. When properly trained, healthcare professionals can implement immunisation more consistently and effectively, encouraging proactive disease prevention measures.
Importance of Vaccination in Public Health
Vaccination is a key preventive measure in global public health, contributing significantly to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to The Oxford Vaccine Group, vaccination is considered one of the most effective public health interventions after clean water, saving about four million lives each year.
However, the vaccination rate among adults remains low, and awareness of the importance of adult immunisation is not high. Common reasons for this include a lack of information about vaccine-preventable diseases, limited access to immune counselling, and uncertainty regarding vaccine safety and efficacy.
Expert Insights on Adult Immunisation
Prof. Sir Jonathan Van-Tam from the University of Nottingham School of Medicine, and former England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, shared his views on prevention strategies in developed countries like the United Kingdom. He emphasized the value of adult immunity, which can generate up to 19 times the initial investment when considering the overall economic and social value they create.
He expressed hope that knowledge sharing would help move towards making immunisation a standard of sustainable healthcare, with renewed focus on older adults. He believes Vietnam is undergoing a breakthrough transformation by prioritizing preventive medicine and addressing infectious diseases through life-course immunisation.
GSK's Role in Supporting Vaccinology Education
Dr. Pham Thi My Lien, president of GSK Vietnam, highlighted the importance of integrating vaccine modules into the training curriculum. She stated that this initiative would help build a solid foundation for future preventive medicine, enabling medical teams to proactively incorporate vaccinations into patient care, especially for the elderly and those with chronic diseases.
GSK is proud to partner with Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy on this meaningful program. With the collaboration of science, technology, and experts, the common goal of eradicating diseases and making a positive impact on the health of Vietnamese people can be achieved.
Future Plans and Implementation
The curriculum in vaccination and virology will be developed, approved, and incorporated into the official training course starting in 2026. It is expected that more than 2,000 doctors will be trained each year, with plans to expand implementation nationwide to universities by 2027.
