As of March 20, the Drug Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Health issued a directive to provincial and municipal Departments of Health, as well as drug manufacturers, exporters and importers, requiring them to ensure sufficient drug supplies for medical examination and treatment amid increasingly complex international conflicts.
Ongoing global conflicts, especially rising tensions in the Middle East, pose risks to the supply chain of pharmaceuticals, raw materials as well as international transportation and trade activities. Therefore, relevant units are required to proactively review their inventories of medicines and pharmaceutical ingredients, assess the supply capacity of their partners, and develop appropriate stockpiling plans. This is particularly important for essential medicines used in emergency care and treatment, in order to ensure a stable supply and avoid shortages.
Drug manufacturers, exporters and importers are also instructed to actively develop production, import and stockpiling plans for medicines and pharmaceutical materials, along with contingency measures to maintain supply in the event of market or supply chain disruptions.
Meanwhile, provincial and municipal Departments of Health are tasked with strengthening monitoring of drug supply situations in their localities and promptly reporting any difficulties or issues related to the availability of medicines and pharmaceutical materials.
