Vietnam Ensures Drug Supply & Price Stability During Tet Holiday

Vietnamese health authorities are taking proactive steps to ensure a stable supply of medications and prevent price increases during the upcoming Lunar New Year, also known as Tet, and in anticipation of potential seasonal disease outbreaks. These measures, announced earlier this week, aim to safeguard public access to essential medicines throughout the holiday period.

Ensuring Medication Availability During Tet

The Drug Administration of Vietnam has issued directives to Departments of Health across the country, requesting they instruct hospitals, disease control centers, and other medical facilities to develop and implement robust drug procurement plans. The goal is to guarantee sufficient medication stocks to meet the needs of the population, particularly concerning emergency care, disease prevention, and treatment of common winter and spring illnesses. January 31, 2026 is the deadline for reporting back on coordination efforts.

Specifically, authorities are emphasizing the need for adequate supplies of medications to treat conditions that typically rise during the colder months, including influenza, measles, rubella, rotavirus diarrhea, hand, foot, and mouth disease, and various respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Medical facilities are also directed to organize nighttime drug sales in accordance with existing regulations, further enhancing accessibility.

Preventing Price Gouging and Maintaining Quality Control

A central focus of these efforts is preventing speculation and price gouging of medicines during Tet, a period of traditionally high demand. The Ministry of Health has explicitly requested that pharmaceutical businesses refrain from exploiting the holiday to raise prices. This directive extends to both manufacturers and importers, who are urged to proactively secure their supply chains and fulfill orders from healthcare facilities promptly.

To enforce these measures, authorities will be strengthening inspections and controls to identify and address any instances of unreasonable price increases. Provincial and municipal testing centers will increase sampling and quality control checks on high-demand medications and those used for disease prevention. Strict adherence to proper drug storage conditions – particularly temperature and humidity – is also being mandated, especially for emergency medications, and vaccines.

24/7 Pharmaceutical Operations and Public Information

Pharmaceutical businesses are required to operate on a 24/7 basis throughout the Tet holiday to ensure continuous access to medications. Authorities are also emphasizing the importance of widely disseminating information to the public about medication availability and pricing. This proactive communication strategy aims to quickly address patient needs and prevent unnecessary anxiety.

Government-Wide Effort to Stabilize Supplies and Prices

The Ministry of Health’s actions are part of a broader government initiative to stabilize supplies and prices ahead of the Lunar New Year. While the focus here is on pharmaceuticals, other ministries are also involved in ensuring the availability of essential goods and preventing price increases across various sectors. For example, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is focusing on ensuring culturally appropriate entertainment and overseeing tourism activities, with a specific directive to tourism businesses to publicly display prices and avoid exploiting visitors.

Hospital Responsibilities and Supply Chain Coordination

Hospitals under the direct authority of the Ministry of Health have been instructed to proactively contact drug suppliers, monitor delivery progress, and make urgent supplementary purchases if necessary. This is to prevent any potential drug shortages and ensure uninterrupted medical care. The Drug Administration of Vietnam is also requiring hospitals to rigorously verify the legality of their supply sources and purchase drugs only from reputable suppliers that meet industry standards.

Drug manufacturers and importers are expected to increase their production and develop comprehensive supply plans to meet the healthcare needs of the population. They are also obligated to promptly fulfill orders from healthcare facilities, ensuring a consistent flow of medications to where they are needed most.

Quality Assurance and Internal Controls

The Drug Administration of Vietnam is stressing the importance of stringent quality control measures throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain. Internal quality control procedures must be strictly followed at all stages, from manufacturing to distribution. This commitment to quality assurance is intended to protect patients and maintain public trust in the safety and efficacy of medications.

These measures reflect a commitment by Vietnamese health authorities to prioritize public health and ensure that citizens have access to the medications they need, especially during a time of increased demand and potential health risks. The emphasis on prevention, proactive planning, and stringent oversight aims to create a stable and reliable pharmaceutical supply chain throughout the Tet holiday and beyond.