Senior experts from the Government, public and private hospital administrations, civil society, and academia have gathered in Hanoi for a discussion on the state of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in Vietnam.
Senior experts from theGovernment, public and private hospital administrations, civil society,and academia have gathered in Hanoi for a discussion on the state ofnon-communicable diseases (NCD) in Vietnam.
Moderated by Ha AnhDuc and Vuong Tuan Anh, both senior researchers at the Institute ofPopulation, Health and Development, the roundtable discussed how thecountry’s healthcare eco-system needs to adapt to meet challenges in theface of rising NCD rates.
"Southeast Asia is no doubt strugglingwith the challenges of successfully managing the NCD burden," Duc, whois a founding member of the ASEAN NCD Network, said.
NCDs accountfor 60 percent of global deaths, with 80 percent of these deathsoccurring in low- and middle-income countries, making them a major causeof poverty and an urgent growing issue.
In Vietnam, the overall NCD morbidity and mortality rates have been rising rapidly in the last two decades.
The mortality rate from NCDs is four times higher than from infectious diseases.
Cardiovasculardiseases are now the leading cause of death in the country, killingthree times more people than infectious and parasitic diseases, andaccounting for nearly a fifth of the total disease burden.
Butthe risk of many NCDs can be lowered with concerted efforts by allstakeholders to drive behavioral change, the workshop heard.
"TheASEAN NCD Network is taking the first big step towards helping thecountries in the region to find plausible, long-term solutions," SanjayBapna, head of SEA, Philips Healthcare APAC, said.
"Some of theideas and solutions shared through the session in Hanoi today might befurther developed into working policies and initiatives to help with theburden of non-communicable diseases on the local and nationalhealthcare systems,” Sanjay Bapna added.
The ASEAN NCD Network has unꩵdertaken a bloc-wide study on innovations in NCD Management with a core focus on Vietnam.♎-VNA
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.
