Vietnam prioritizes prevention of non-communicable diseases

Speaking at the 64th session of the World Health Assembly on May 17 at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Minister of Health Nguyen Quoc Trieu said that Vietnam continues to identify the prevention of non-communicable diseases as one of the key national priority programs during the 2011-2015 period..

Currently, not only developed countries but also developing countries, including Vietnam, are facing a double burden of disease, in which the burden of non-communicable diseases has been putting great pressure on the Vietnamese health system. While the incidence of infectious diseases is decreasing rapidly, the incidence of non-communicable diseases is increasing rapidly.

Minister of Health Nguyen Quoc Trieu.

According to hospital statistical reports from 51 provinces and cities in Vietnam, the rate of infectious diseases decreased from 59.2% in 1986 to 24.94% in 2006 and to 22.9% in 2009.

Meanwhile, the rate of non-communicable diseases increased rapidly from 36% in 1986 to 62.02% in 2006 and to 66.32% in 2009.

In addition, the mortality rate due to non-communicable diseases has also increased sharply in recent times, from 41.48% in 1986 to 61.62% in 2006 and 63.34% in 2009.

The Minister said that thanks to recent efforts, Vietnam has achieved some encouraging results, especially in controlling risk factors such as preventing tobacco harm, with Vietnam ratifying the 2004 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the draft Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention which was approved by the Vietnamese National Assembly for consideration in November 2011 and expected to be passed in May 2012.

However, Vietnam is still facing many challenges such as the non-communicable disease prevention program has only been established mainly at the central level and some program implementation points with limited funding and human resources.

In the coming time, Vietnam will innovate its investment orientation for early diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases, gradually build and perfect the network for preventing non-communicable diseases from central to local levels, promote health education and communication, especially focus on strengthening human resource training, promote scientific research and international cooperation on non-communicable disease prevention.

The Minister hopes to continue to receive further support from the international community and the World Health Organization for non-communicable disease prevention activities in Vietnam in the coming time.

According to Vietnam+