Connecting people, sharing knowledge

Attending the working session, on the side of the Singapore International Foundation were Mr. Jestyn Koh, Head of Development; Ms. Stephy Tang and Ms. Amanda Tee, Programme Managers; and Ms. Nguyen Mai Phuong, Programme Coordinator. Also attending was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ha Phan Hai An, former Senior Lecturer at Hanoi Medical University.

The working session took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, marking the beginning of connecting the strengths of both sides.

On the side of Bach Mai Hospital were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Giap, Vice Director of the Hospital, along with representatives of the leadership of the Hospital Office, Bach Mai Medical Training and Research Institute, Center for Quality Management of Medical Examination and Treatment, and Center for Urology and Nephrology.

Introducing SIF, Mr. Jestyn Koh stated that 2026 marks the 35th year of the Foundation's operation with the mission of connecting Singapore with other countries through people-to-people cooperation. Healthcare and education are two core areas of SIF.
The Foundation prioritizes long-term cooperation programs combining theoretical and practical training, competency assessment, expert exchanges, and the development of core faculty teams.

According to the SIF representative, the value of the cooperation model lies not only in knowledge transfer but also in building long-term professional relationships, adapting international experience to practical conditions, and translating training outcomes into concrete improvements in patient care.

This is also an opportunity for Singaporean experts to exchange and learn from clinical practice experiences in other countries, including Vietnam.

Bach Mai proposes areas of cooperation

Speaking at the working session, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Giap thanked the SIF delegation for visiting and working with Bach Mai Hospital, while highly appreciating the Foundation's contributions in promoting medical and education cooperation and capacity building.

From the Hospital's development orientation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Giap proposed that the two sides research and develop training programs according to international standards, initially serving Bach Mai Medical College and aiming to develop a health science training institution in the future.

Among them, rehabilitation is identified as a field with high demand and the potential to soon establish a specific cooperation program. The two sides can also research expanding training for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and hospital management personnel.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Giap - Vice Director of Bach Mai Hospital and Mr. Jestyn Koh, Head of Development of the SIF Foundation, presented commemorative gifts to the two units.

Scientific research, digital transformation, and technology application are also areas of great interest to Bach Mai Hospital. During the process of digitizing professional workflows, medical records, and forming large-scale medical data sources, the Hospital desires SIF to connect with universities, hospitals, and Singaporean experts to cooperate in researching artificial intelligence, big data, and technologies serving diagnosis, treatment, and disease management.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Giap also shared the strategic development pillars of Bach Mai Hospital, including multi-organ transplantation, robotic surgery, stem cells, gene therapy, big data and artificial intelligence, and 3D printing technology.

Along with putting the 1,000-bed Facility 2 in Ninh Binh into operation and implementing the quality management roadmap according to international standards, these fields open up possibilities for cooperation in research, training, technology transfer, and hospital management.

Towards in-depth cooperation During the discussion, the two sides exchanged views on potential fields of cooperation such as nephrology, dialysis, kidney transplantation, rehabilitation, palliative care, mental health, training of hospital management personnel, and international medical services.

Representatives of units under Bach Mai Hospital expressed their desire to strengthen professional exchanges between the doctors and nurses of the two countries, thereby accessing international experience, standardizing practices, and improving treatment quality.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ha Phan Hai An emphasized the role of the core faculty team and the capability to replicate training models and advanced techniques from Bach Mai Hospital to the nationwide medical network.

On SIF's side, the Foundation stated that it can connect Bach Mai Hospital with major medical clusters in Singapore after the two sides clearly define priority areas, objectives, and expected outcomes.

The delegates took a commemorative photo after the working session, opening up new directions for cooperation between the two sides.

Notably, the proposal to gradually develop an in-depth center for nephrology or kidney transplantation at Bach Mai Hospital received attention from the SIF delegation. The direction of cooperation was discussed toward combining long-term training, quality improvement, scientific research, and expert exchanges.

Concluding the working session, the two sides agreed to continue exchanging views, selecting highly feasible contents, identifying suitable professional partners, and building specific objectives and implementation roadmaps.

The meeting serves as a starting point for connecting the strengths of both sides, in which Singapore's experience in organizing training programs and expert network are linked with the professional, research, training, and clinical practice capacities of Bach Mai Hospital, aiming toward practical, sustainable cooperation programs that bring value to patients.

News and article: Hospital Office / Photos: The Anh