Non-communicable diseases are the top cause of death in Vietnam, according to Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son.

Doctors give blood pressure examination to elderly people in Ha Tinh province  

Speaking at the 8th national medical science conference on managing non-communicable diseases at grassroots health care facilities in Southeast Asia in Hanoi on October 25, the deputy minister said nearly 8 out of every 10 deaths in Vietnam are due to non-communicable diseases.

He reported that of the estimated 548,800 deaths in Vietnam in 2016, 77 percent were caused by non-communicable diseases, adding that 44 percent of those who died of non-communicable diseases were under 70 years old.

To cope with the burden of those diseases, the Prime Minister approved a national strategy on prevention and fight against non-communicable diseases during 2013-2020.

“Vietnam has achieved nine out of 19 indexes assessing the progress and national capacity in preventing and fighting non-communicable diseases,” Deputy Minister Son said.

He noted that fighting those diseases had been made a main priority of the Vietnam Health Programme issued in February this year.

At the conference, 18 scientific papers in six majors were presented for discussion, and four medical associations of Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar and Indonesia shared their experience in managing non-communicable diseases.

Discussions at the event focused on measures to prevent risks of non-communicable diseases, and the measures will be popularized through communication activities.