Vietnam unites to tackle major causes of disease and death

NCDs – including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes – are the leading cause of death in Vietnam, accounting for about 80 per cent of deaths, many of them premature.

Minister of Health Dr. Dao Hong Lan said that Vietnam has shown strong political commitment to prioritising NCDs as part of broader health sector reform.

“Politburo Resolution No.72 dated September 9 calls for a fundamental shift in mindset, from a treatment-centred approach to proactive disease prevention and comprehensive health promotion for the population, particularly in the prevention and control of NCDs. This shift contributes to realising the goal of building a healthy society and improving both life expectancy and quality of life for all people,” she said.

“On December 10, the National Assembly adopted the Law on Disease Prevention. This represents a milestone of particular significance, providing a strong legal foundation for a decisive transition towards prevention, strengthening the disease prevention system, and enabling the coordinated implementation of solutions for the prevention and control of NCDs,” the minister added.

WHO representative in Vietnam Dr Angela Pratt said, “Imagine a new epidemic sweeping the globe, killing 45 million people this year, including half a million people in Vietnam. This is actually happening now, and the situation will get worse unless we act.”

NCDs are the world’s biggest killers – claiming more lives than HIV, TB, and malaria combined. This is an expanding crisis we cannot ignore, Pratt added.

The meeting highlighted the urgent need for coordinated action across sectors such as health, education, finance, environment, agriculture, and transport.

“Tackling NCDs is something the health sector cannot do alone,” Pratt said, “This is why the theme of the meeting, focusing on multisectoral collaboration, is so important. The most effective way to reduce smoking, for example, is through taxation. Or air pollution – the health sector bears the consequences of this problem, but the solutions mostly belong in industry, agriculture, transport, and energy,” she said.

Participants reviewed best practices and discussed strengthened collaboration, including leveraging new technologies and integrating health in all policies.

Dr Pratt praised the government’s leadership on NCD prevention and management.

“We have seen exciting progress in Vietnam recently. Changes to tobacco taxation will result in 2.1 million fewer smokers in the next five years and avert 700,000 premature deaths. Vietnam is also making big gains in hypertension management. Health sector reforms under Resolution 72 present a historic opportunity to prioritise disease prevention and strengthen primary healthcare,” she shared.

“WHO is proud to accompany Vietnam in these efforts, and I am confident that with continued support from international and national partners, we can scale up action against NCDs and build a healthier Vietnam,” she noted.