Nearly 1,200 delegates attend 2025 International Stroke Conference in Hanoi. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Health
Nearly 1,200 domestic and international delegates convened in Hanoi on November 8 for the 2025 International Stroke Conference, co-organised by the Hanoi Stroke Association, the Stroke Centre of Bach Mai Hospital and the Department of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
In opening remarks, Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, deputy minister of health, said this year’s theme, “The digital era in stroke: From comprehensive management to personalisation”, reflects the health sector’s strategic vision in harnessing digital technology, big data and artificial intelligence for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of stroke.
She noted that Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW, issued by the Politburo in September 2025, outlines breakthrough measures to enhance public health protection, care and improvement, shifting the healthcare model from treatment-focused to proactive disease prevention and holistic health promotion.
“Therefore, alongside improving treatment outcomes, greater attention must be paid to prevention and the mitigation of stroke risk factors,” she stressed.
According to Associate Professor Huong, the Ministry of Health has identified 2026–2035 as a pivotal period for advancing the National Stroke Prevention and Control Programme, with the goal of building a healthier and more resilient Vietnam.
She called on Bach Mai Hospital, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, the Hanoi Stroke Association and other professional organisations to expand global cooperation, particularly with the World Stroke Organisation, to strengthen the national stroke network in both scope and quality, ensuring every citizen can receive timely and high-quality emergency care within the “golden hour.”
“The Ministry of Health is committed to supporting hospitals, research institutes and stroke centres by providing enabling mechanisms, policies and resources to deepen expertise and international integration,” she added.
Associate Professor Mai Duy Ton, director of the Stroke Centre at Bach Mai Hospital and president of the Hanoi Stroke Association, said Vietnam has made significant progress in reducing the burden of stroke. Key milestones include the 2024 guidelines on stroke diagnosis and treatment and Circular No. 47/2016, which helped establish stroke treatment centres nationwide.
From just a few facilities in earlier years, Vietnam had 53 stroke centres by the end of 2023. These centres are closely connected in emergency response, interventional treatment and post-stroke rehabilitation. As a result, the in-hospital mortality rate has dropped from 5 per cent to just over 2 per cent.
However, forecasts show that by 2035, stroke will remain among the top three causes of death and disability globally. Associate Professor Ton therefore called for a national strategy on stroke prevention and control, including public health campaigns, early screening, timely intervention and effective rehabilitation.
The 2025 International Stroke Conference offers a platform to share the latest advances in thrombolysis, endovascular intervention, intensive care and rehabilitation. It also serves as an opportunity to strengthen research collaboration, professional training and technology transfer between Vietnam and the international medical community.
