Illustrative image (Source: VNA)HCM
City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City aims to give screenings for
non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as and diabetes to more
than 12,000 local residents aging above 40 in 2020.
The
target was given during a recent conference to launch the Transforming
the Non-communicable Disease Response project,
which was jointly held by the Ministry of Health’s Department of Preventive
Medicine and non-governmental organisation Programme for Appropriate Technology
in Health (PATH).
Dr.
Nguyen Tuyet Nga, Head of PATH Office in Vietnam, said that about 18.9 percent
of people in Vietnam are living with high blood pressure, while 4.1 percent
suffer diabetes. The ratios have been on the rise.
Eight
in every 10 deaths in Vietnam are caused by non-communicable diseases, she
said, stressing the need for greater attention to the prevention of the
diseases.
She
said that in 2020, PATH has coordinated with the Department of Preventive
Medicine to implement the Transforming the Non-communicable Disease
Response project in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and central Khanh Hoa province.
Spanning
from 2020 to the end of 2022, the project aims to enhance access to NCD
prevention and treatment services by increasing localities’ engagement and the
project’s sponsorship.
In
HCM City, from September this year, the project has been conducted in District
8, where is home to about 180,500 people aged above 40.
Screening
services have been given in 16 local health stations, while 97 volunteers have
engaging in communication activities to raise public awareness of the
prevention of the diseases.
The
project targets providing screenings for about 12,250 people, including about 1,470
people diagnosed with high blood pressure and getting treatment.
Doctor
Nguyen Huu Hung, Vice Director of the HCM City Department of Health, said that
NCD is rising among the community, but public awareness of the diseases remains
modest.
He
said that over the years, the city has implemented many programmes to control
the diseases in the community, including a project to screen for high blood
pressure which has been underway since 2016 with the support of
PATH./.
Source: VietnamPlus
