A France-Vietnam Days of Innovation opened in Ho Chi Minh City on October 18 as a joint effort of the Consulate General of France and the city’s French Institute to celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Vincent Floreani addresses the opening of the event

Opening the event, French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Vincent Floreani said that the decades-long partnership has covered various fields and seen great achievements.

In the medical sector, France has helped Vietnam train about 3,000 experts and will continue such support in the future, he noted.

Prof. Nguyen Tan Binh, Director of the city’s Department of Health, said that the France-Vietnam Days of Innovation are a good chance for Vietnamese doctors and medical students to access the latest medical achievements from France.

In the first day of the event, which focused on healthcare, Prof. Alain Carpentier who invented the Carmat artificial heart, shared some insight on his 30 years of research.

In 2013, the Carmat artificial heart, which is designed to be close to a normal heart from structure, was transplanted into a human body for the first time. It uses electricity to operate. So far, 11 patients suffering from heart diseases have received the artificial heart without any complications.

The France-Vietnam Days of Innovation will run until October 20 with two other topics of sustainable development and digital images.–VNA