An elderly with heart problems receives medical examination and treatment at hospital. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Bach Mai Hospital in
collaboration with Medical Excellence Japan (MEJ) and Economic Research
Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) on June 27 organised the 2nd Vietnam-
conference on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The conference saw the attendance of leading
medical experts from the two countries, who discussed the current situation,
challenges, control strategies, and management of NCDs in three plenary
sessions and four thematic sessions about cardiology, stroke, diabetes, and
respiratory.
According to Dr. Tokuaki Shobayashi, who is a
former health official of Japan and now a health policy advisor to Vietnam’s
Ministry of Health, although Japan is becoming an aging society, it still
maintains the highest average life expectancy and healthy life expectancy in
the world.
Japan’s national health improvement campaign has been carried out successful and health is one of the biggest concerns for many Japanese
citizens, he said, adding that besides the Government, corporations also have played a
role in improving people’s health.
Dr. Tran Quoc Bao from the Department of Preventive
Medicine under the Vietnamese Ministry of Health said the burden of the NCDs is very hue. The NCDs
cause about 80% of deaths in Vietnam; and 41% of deaths occurred before the age of 70. The
leading causes of death are cardiovascular disease, cancers, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease, and diabetes.
The number of people infected with
is very large, estimated at over 20 million cases.
The rate of hypertension and diabetes has tended to increase over the past ten
years, he said.
According to the official, factors leading to high levels of NCDs are
smoking, drinking alcohol, eating vegetables and fruits insufficiently, eating
too much salt, and lack of physical activity. The rate of overweight and
obesity has increased rapidly, on average, nearly 1% per year. Dyslipidemia has tended to rise in both men and women in Vietnam.
Associate Professor Dr. Vu Thi Thanh Huyen, a
lecturer from Hanoi Medical University, said that the NCDs like stroke, cancers, and
mental depression are usually found among elderly people. Medical costs for the
elderly are 7-10 times higher than for the younger people.
She suggested that there should be studies to
assess the healthcare needs of the elderly; gradually develop the geriatric
network system; and have preferential policies to encourage businesses to take
care of the elderly./.
Source: VietnamPlus
