The fifth deputy health minister has been selected by the Vietnamese government, while the seat of the ministry’s head has remained unoccupied for half a year.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has signed a decision to appoint Tran Van Thuan as Deputy Minister of Health.

Thuan, 50, hailing from the northern province of Bac Ninh, was the chairman of the Vietnam Young Doctors' Association (VYDA).

He holds a doctorate in oncology and has been a professor since 2018.

He was the director of the National Institute for Cancer Control from 2010 and the director of the K Hospital, or the National Cancer Hospital, in Hanoi from 2016 until assuming the new post.

Thuan is the fifth and youngest deputy health minister having been appointed after Truong Quoc Cuong, Nguyen Truong Son, Do Xuan Tuyen, and Nguyen Thanh Long.

Meanwhile, the health minister’s position has stayed vacant since November 22, 2019, when Nguyen Thi Kim Tien stepped down as she had reached the retirement age.

Tien has assumed the duty as head of a committee in charge of medical care for central officials under the Party Central Committee.

As the National Assembly has not approved anyone to replace Tien, the prime minister is now authorized to assign an acting health minister in accordance with the law.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam was made secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Health -- now the effective leader of the agency. 

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!