21st FNCA Ministerial Level Meeting
10th December 2020

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COUNTRY REPORT OF
VIETNAM

Dr. TRAN Ngoc Toan
Vice – President of Vietnam Atomic Energy InstituteOUTLINE
1. Introduction
2. Status of nuclear technology applications
under the Pandemic
3. Activities in response to the Pandemic

4. Conclusion

1. Introduction
Over the world update, 21st Nov 2020
- Cumulative cases: 58 480 602- Cumulative deaths : 1 385 778- Recovered: 40 459 893

Vietnam, update 21st Nov 2020
- Cumulative cases : 1306
- Cumulative deaths : 35
- Recovered : 1142

In Viet Nam, the pandemic COVID-19 is basicallycontrolled, some of new cases are all imported andquarantined on arrival.

Map of provinces and cities by the number of COVID-19
confirmed cases (update 21st November, 2020

2. Status of nuclear technology applications
under the Pandemic•

In the pandemic situation and implementation of social distancing,

nuclear medicine and radiotherapy facilities have been maintained underradiation safety conditions and prevention of virus transmission.
•Since March 2020, Cyclotron centers nationwide have decreased theproduction of radiopharmaceuticals F18-FDG due to decline in PET/CTdemand (as a consequence of social distancing). However, the production of
Cyclotron centers has been maintained to serve for patients being treated innuclear medicine and radiotherapy facilities.
•In 2020, as a consequence of COVID-19, the total volume of irradiatedgoods for export has decreased dramatically.

3. Activities in response to the Pandemic

Viet Nam has applied RT-PCR, a nuclear-derived method, and developed
successfully the test kits to detect the coronavirus COVID-19. It continues tobe the most accurate method available for the detection of the COVID-19

virus.

3. Activities in response to the Pandemic
Irradiation of medical equipment
In the complicated situation of the COVID-19, to joinhands and fight the pandemic, Hanoi Irradiation Center,
VINATOM has irradiated medical equipment andproducts:

Irradiated face masks• Till the mid of April, 2020, the total number ofsterilized medical equipment for Bach Mai Hospitalare: 102.300 Nano face masks; 22.525 N95 face masks
and 960 protective clothing.

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3. Activities in response to the PandemicDalat nuclear reactor increases the productionof radiopharmaceuticals• The widespread of COVID-19

results indifficulties in importing radiopharmaceuticals, but
the Dalat Nuclear Research Institute has strived

for supplying enough radiopharmaceuticals fornuclear medicine facilities in Viet Nam during theDalat Nuclear Research Institutepandemic.

• Update to November 2020, Dalat nuclear reactor
operated nearly 3700 hours and produced 1200 Ci
radiopharmaceuticals (increased by approximately
3 times and 48% respectively compared with thefive-year average)

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4. Conclusion• Applications of nuclear science and technology have made significant

contribution to the social and medical well-being development in VietNam, especially under the Pandemic. Towards sustainable development,these potential applications should be further enhanced at global scale.
• Viet Nam desires to strengthen cooperation with FNCA and othercooperation channels to promote peaceful applications of nuclear

energy for socio-economic development in Viet Nam, particularly
addressing issues of human health, environmental protection andclimate change mitigation

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