Vietnam sees alarming surge in diabetes cases, over half undiagnosed
HO CHI MINH CITY: Vietnam is facing a growing public health emergency as diabetes cases have tripled since 2000, with more than half of patients unaware they have the disease, health experts warned at a recent medical conference in HCM City, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
An estimated seven million Vietnamese are currently living with diabetes, but about 50 per cent remain undiagnosed, a dangerous gap that is fuelling serious, preventable complications and increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
18-07-2025
- The Star
Vietnam warns of food supply disruptions as African swine fever spreads
A resident in Quang Ngai Province disinfects pig pens following an outbreak of African swine fever. — VNA/VNS HANOI: African swine fever outbreaks are spreading in Vietnam, threatening to disrupt food supplies in the country, the government warned on Friday (July 18). Vietnam has this year detected 514 outbreaks in 28 out of 34 cities and provinces nationwide, the government said in a statement, adding that the authorities have culled more than 30,000 infected pigs. "The risk of African swine fever is on a rising trend, negatively affecting the pig farming industry, food supplies and the environment," the government said. African swine fever has disrupted the global pork market for years. In the worst outbreak over 2018-19, about half the domestic pig population died in China, the world's biggest producer, causing losses estimated at over US$100 billion. The recent outbreaks in Vietnam have prompted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to send an urgent directive to provinces and government agencies this week to deploy measures to curb the disease. Vietnam in 2023 approved the domestic commercial use of its first home-grown African swine fever vaccines, but officials said the rate of vaccinated pigs remains low. "Only around 30% of the pigs in my province have been vaccinated," said an animal health official of Quang Ngai province, where infections have been reported over the past few weeks. "It's not clear why the rate is low - it could either be the issue of vaccine availability, efficiency or cost," said another provincial official, who declined to be named as the person is not authorised to speak to the media. The agriculture ministry's Department of Animal Health didn't respond to Reuters' request for comment. Calls to AVAC Vietnam JSC, the country's main African swine fever vaccine producer, went unanswered. AVAC said last month it had sold 3 million vaccine doses in the domestic market and exported 600,000 doses to the Philippines and Indonesia. - Reuters
The Star
16-07-2025
- The Star
Vietnam sees alarming surge in diabetes cases, over half undiagnosed
Patients undering dialysis for diabetes complications. Vietnam faces a public health crisis as diabetes cases triple since 2000, with over half undiagnosed. — VNA/VNS HO CHI MINH CITY: Vietnam is facing a growing public health emergency as diabetes cases have tripled since 2000, with more than half of patients unaware they have the disease, health experts warned at a recent medical conference in HCM City, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported. An estimated seven million Vietnamese are currently living with diabetes, but about 50 per cent remain undiagnosed, a dangerous gap that is fuelling serious, preventable complications and increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
The Star
14-07-2025
- The Star
UK agrees to deal with Vietnam to remove pharmaceutical trade barriers
Vietnam will hasten the registration of new medicines and vaccines, while recognising approvals from more regulators. - Reuters LONDON: Britain said it would strike an agreement with Vietnam to make it easier for pharmaceutical firms to sell UK-made medicines in the nation, under a new trade strategy that emphasises quick, industry-specific deals. Britain launched the new strategy last month, promising a nimbler approach compared to the emphasis it placed on full-fledged free trade agreements following its departure from the European Union. Vietnam will hasten the registration of new medicines and vaccines, while recognising approvals from more regulators, including Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the British government told Reuters in a statement. The deal is expected to be confirmed later on Monday. "The removal of pharmaceutical barriers with one of our closest trading partners in Asia is a boost for the UK pharmaceutical industry and proof our Industrial and Trade Strategies are already delivering," British trade minister Douglas Alexander said. The deal could be worth 250 million pounds (US$337 million) to the British pharmaceutical sector over the next five years, the government added. The UK-Vietnamese Joint Economic and Trade Committee will meet in London on Monday (July 14) and also discuss financial services and renewable energy. Britain has taken a tougher line on some other sectors, however, with steel imports from Vietnam set to be restricted under a new quota regime. Life sciences, including pharmaceuticals, are a priority sector under Britain's new industrial strategy, which was also launched last month. However, that plan has been delayed by a dispute over drug pricing with the British pharmaceutical sector, which says the government needs to value medicines more fairly and adjust the payments they make back to the health service. - Reuters
