The methods were proposed by Professor Nguyen Thanh Liem, a leading pediatric endoscopic surgeon.

The Ministry will consider umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell transplant for COVID-19 patients showing signs of respiratory failure, while providing the plasma of those who have fully recovered from COVID-19 to critical patients.

Stem cell infusion "has the ability to raise survival rates" 2.5 times in COVID-19 patients, compared to the non-transfusion group, said Liem, who has pioneered stem cell therapies for conditions such as cerebral palsy and autism in Vietnam.

Vietnam has mastered the technology of producing mesenchymal stem cells in large quantities.