Olympus and University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City Expand Collaboration to Advance Endoscopy Care in Vietnam

September 15, 2026

Collaboration combines physician education and scientific exchange, magnifying endoscopy, and advanced optical imaging technologies designed to support the visualization and assessment of suspicious tissue and help strengthen endoscopy practice

TOKYO, HO CHI MINH CITY, (September 14, 2026) – Olympus and University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City (UMC) today announced an expansion of their collaboration¹ to strengthen endoscopy practice, education, and patient care in Vietnam.

Through the upgraded UMC endoscopy center, the organizations will combine physician training and scientific exchange with access to Olympus advanced endoscopy technologies to help build clinical expertise and support high-quality endoscopy care.

As Vietnam's population grows and ages, and as the burden of gastrointestinal diseases and colorectal cancer increases, demand for endoscopic screening, diagnosis, and treatment is expected to continue rising.² Expanding access to high-quality endoscopy is therefore not only a matter of increasing capacity. ^3,4 It also requires skilled physicians and technologies that help clinicians visualize and assess suspicious tissue during screening and diagnostic procedures.

Olympus and University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City representatives marking the opening of the upgraded endoscopy center.

Under the collaboration, Olympus and UMC will work together to strengthen both the clinical capabilities of the upgraded center and the expertise of physicians using its technologies. Key areas of collaboration include:

1. Supporting continuous improvement in colorectal and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy through physician education aligned with international standards and clinical best practices.
2. Expanding physician expertise in magnifying endoscopy and image-enhanced endoscopy to support the detection and characterization of gastrointestinal lesions.
3. Providing education on the appropriate use of Olympus advanced optical and imaging technologies.
4. Building clinical knowledge around high-resolution and magnifying endoscopy, helping physicians use detailed optical visualization and advanced image processing to examine and assess suspicious areas during endoscopic procedures

Keith Boettiger, Executive Officer and Gastrointestinal Solutions Division Head, Olympus, said, “Colorectal and gastric cancers are among the five most commonly diagnosed cancers in Vietnam. This collaboration is about more than installing advanced equipment. It brings together physician education, scientific exchange, and technologies designed to help clinicians see more clearly and make confident decisions. By combining UMC’s clinical leadership with Olympus imaging and optical capabilities, we aim to support high-quality endoscopy practice and help expand access to care for patients in Vietnam.”

Associate Professor Nguyen Miah Anh, Vice Director of UMC, said, “At UMC, we are committed to providing patient-centered care while supporting the continued development of our healthcare professionals. This collaboration with Olympus will create further opportunities for knowledge exchange and endoscopy education. It will also give our physicians access to advanced visualization technologies that can support careful examination and assessment during endoscopic procedures for people with digestive health needs.”

The UMC endoscopy center is being equipped with the advanced endoscopy system designed to provide high-quality visualization during gastrointestinal screening, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures. The system offers high-resolution optics, magnification, and advanced observation modes to help clinicians visualize and assess suspicious tissue during screening and diagnostic procedures.

The equipment provides optical magnification of up to 125x when used with a compatible 4K monitor, enabling detailed observation of suspicious lesions. In addition, it offers advanced imaging and observation capabilities to support different clinical needs, from highlighting mucosal and vascular patterns to improving the visibility of texture, color, and bleeding points. The combination of advanced optics and image processing gives physicians complementary ways to examine tissue during screening and diagnosis.

The center is also being equipped with the automatic endoscope reprocessors to support high standards of endoscope reprocessing. By bringing together physician expertise, advanced optics, image processing technologies, and consistent reprocessing practices, the upgraded center is intended to support high-quality endoscopy practice, from visualization and assessment through diagnosis and treatment.

Olympus and UMC share the goal of helping healthcare professionals deliver high-quality, patient-centered care while continuing to strengthen digestive healthcare services in Vietnam. Additional areas for continued collaboration include faculty development, scientific exchange, and technology transfer to promote best practices in endoscopic medicine and extend access to advanced endoscopy education and expertise beyond the center.

1 This expanded collaboration builds on the MoU signed in February 2025 between the two organizations.

2 Ervik M, Laversanne M, Lam F, Colombet M, Ferlay J, Filho AM, Bray F (2026). Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today (2024 estimates, version 1.0). Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer. Available from:
https://gco.iarc.who.int/media/globocan/factsheets/populations/704-viet-nam-fact-sheet.pdf

3 Dung HQ. Current Status in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Vietnam, JDDW 2022 Invited Lecture. "The development of GI endoscopy in Vietnam has grown very slowly due to the shortage of equipment and GI endoscopists."

4 Thai KD, Mai BT, Nguyen TL, Ho DDQ. Current status of therapeutic endoscopy in Vietnam. Clin Endosc. 2025;58(6):826-830. doi:10.5946/ce.2025.041

About University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City

University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City (UMC) is one of Vietnam’s leading medical institutions, with a strong commitment to medical education and the development of highly qualified physicians and healthcare professionals. In addition to providing high-quality and specialized healthcare services, UMC plays an important role in medical training, clinical practice, and the advancement of medical expertise in South of Vietnam.

About Olympus

At Olympus, we are committed to Our Purpose of making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. As a global medical technology company, we partner with healthcare professionals to provide innovative solutions and services for early detection, diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes by elevating the standard of care in targeted disease states. For more than 100 years, Olympus has pursued a goal of contributing to society by producing products designed with the purpose of delivering optimal outcomes for its customers around the world. For more information, visit the Olympus website and follow the Olympus LinkedIn account.