The Health Working Group (HWG) hosted a policy dialogue on promoting healthy aging and non-communicable diseases (NCD) control for a healthy Asia - Pacific region.
HCM City (VNA) – The Health WorkingGroup (HWG) hosted a policy dialogue on promoting healthy aging andnon-communicable diseases (NCD) control for a healthy Asia - Pacific region.
The event, part of the third APEC SeniorOfficials’ Meeting (SOM 3) and related meetings in HCM City, drew over 100 delegates fromAPEC economies, representatives from UN agencies, international and socialorganisations, researchers and health care service providers.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Pham LeTuan said population aging generates major opportunities and challenges, andimpacts all economic and social aspects.
The APEC economies account for 40.5 percent ofthe global population and nearly 50 percent of the total elderly in the world.Most APEC members are facing challenges posed by rapid population aging.
Vietnam’s population aging started in 2011, withthe rate of people aged 60 and above making up 10 percent. It is now among thecountries with the fastest population aging speed. Vietnam has more than 10million old people and figure is estimated to reach 28 million by 2050.
Participants also discussed issues such aspopulation aging in the APEC region, the burden of non-communicable diseases(NCDs) amid population aging, prevention and control of NCDs among the elderly.
Tuan also highlighted the fast increase of NCDsand population aging pose huge challenges for the global health care system.
Heart diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronicdiseases are among the leading causes of death among old people, Tuan said,adding that APEC economies need to seek ways to prevent and control NCDs in thecontext of population aging.
The dialogue offered an opportunity for healthmanagers, scientists, organisations and individuals to share experience inaddressing NCDs amid population aging, towards a healthy and prosperousAsia-Pacific region.-VNA
The APEC Network of Anti-Corruption Authorities and Law Enforcement Agencies (ACT-NET) held a workshop on intensifying cooperation in revoking corruption assets among law enforcement agencies on August 18 in Ho Chi Minh City.
Officials from member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum are expected to work on an array of issues on August 19, the second day of the third APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 3) and related meetings in Ho Chi Minh City.
The Agricultural Technical Cooperation Working Group (ATCWG) held a meeting in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on August 20 to promote technology transfer in agricultural production.
Experts gathered at a workshop in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on August 19 to seek ways to reduce food losses and waste, and ensure a sustainable APEC food system.
Six APEC member economies are displaying agricultural products and advanced agri-production technologies required to address food security and sustainably develop agriculture at an exhibition that opened in Can Tho city on August 21.
Vietnam now boasts a nationwide healthcare network with 1,665 hospitals, 384 of which are non-public, supported by local commune- and ward-level stations. At the end of 2024, hospital bed capacity reached 34 per 10,000 people, slightly above the global average.
The 56-year-old patient from Quang Tri province was discharged in stable condition as he no longer experienced shortness of breath and was able to walk, move around, and eat normally.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Vu Trung, Director of the Pasteur Institute, said that under the MoU, the two sides committed to promoting diverse and practical collaborative activities, including joint conferences and workshops, exchanges of scholars, researchers and students, sharing academic materials, and the development of specific programmes and projects in scientific research, training, and epidemic prevention.
TytoCare, a leading Israeli telemedicine company based in Netanya, is willing to work with Vietnamese regulators, insurers, and healthcare providers to develop a sustainable digital health ecosystem.
The partnership is under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding on the development and implementation of the National Action Plan on Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control, signed in Hanoi on July 22.
An estimated 7 million Vietnamese are currently living with diabetes, but about 50% remain undiagnosed, a dangerous gap that is fuelling serious, preventable complications and increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
In 2024, Vietnam achieved 99% coverage for the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine, up from 80% in 2023. Immunisation coverage in the country has not only rebounded to the high levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic but has now surpassed the rates recorded in 2019.
Health authorities in HCM City have issued an urgent alert after six people died from dengue fever, amid a spike in infections driven by the onset of the rainy season.
During the peak months of July and August 2025, the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) needs at least 90,000 units of blood to supply 180 hospitals in the northern region. However, despite continuous efforts, the reserve blood is still short of 30,000 units.
The Hanoi ceremony highlighted efforts to ensure all citizens, especially women and youth, can access accurate information and healthcare services to make informed reproductive choices.
After such a long time, the law has revealed many limitations, prompting the Ministry of Health (MoH) to gather opinions to amend the law to give more chances to thousands of patients every year.
Currently, cardiovascular specialists from the 108 Military Central Hospital are working alongside a team of Prof.Dr. Jan D. Schmitto, Deputy Director of MHH’s Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery on clinical trials for MCS devices, implanted in heart failure patients either as a bridge to transplantation or as permanent treatment.
The centre not only serves residents living on the island, but also receives tens of thousands of visitors every year, according to Assoc Prof Dr Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the HCM CIty Department of Health.
Not only does Vietnam attract international tourists with its landscapes, culture, and cuisine, but it is also gradually becoming a reliable destination for medical treatment, offering high-quality services at reasonable costs.
Over the past six months, 150 communal health stations in provinces including Ha Giang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Tay Ninh, Hau Giang, Ben Tre and Ca Mau have been equipped with information technology systems. In addition, 117 key provincial healthcare workers have received training, with thousands more expected to follow.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Ministry of Health swiftly launched a telemedicine programme, connecting more than 1,000 medical establishments nationwide. The model, which remains in operation, has benefited tens of thousands of patients, including foreign nationals.
After more than three weeks of intensive treatment, the patient's pneumonia improved, breathing stabilised, sedation was reduced, and the breathing tube was removed. He is now conscious, able to eat orally, and in recovery.
At the event (Source: VNA) 
