International trade in health and social work: Opportunities arising from Vietnam’s new resolutions

This study examines Vietnam’s international trade in health and social work and the development opportunities created by recently adopted national resolutions. Using a literature review and secondary data, the study summarizes major policy orientations and evaluates the sector’s international trade performance during 2020 - 2024. The findings show increases in output value, value added, exported value added, and participation in global value chains, although backward linkages remain substantially stronger than forward linkages. New policy directions create opportunities to expand markets, attract high-quality foreign investment, strengthen research and technology transfer, develop internationally competitive specialized healthcare services, and improve workforce quality. The study recommends strengthening domestic capabilities, reducing dependence on imported inputs, expanding global value-chain participation, improving institutional coordination, and developing high-value healthcare and social work services.