COVID-19 and Non-Communicable Diseases on the agenda at science conference

Innovative solutions to this issue, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in general, were the main topics of discussion at an annual scientific conference jointly organised by the Vietnam Medical Association, the Ministry of Health and the Pharmaceutical Sector Committee under EuroCham (Pharma Group).  

Entitled 'The COVID-19 pandemic and non-communicable diseases prevention and treatment: Topics of Respiration, Cardiovascular, Oncology, Diabetes, Mental health and rare diseases', the event was held on November 12. 

It was an opportunity for more than 500 participants to share medical research and best practices in NCDs patient treatment, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that still poses a threat to healthcare systems across Vietnam and the wider world.

Speaking at the event, President of the Vietnam Medical Association Nguyen Thi Xuyen said that the conference aimed to update medical knowledge and share practical experiences from COVID-19 pandemic prevention activities, and to prevent non-communicable diseases.

Many participants were leading experts who directly participated in treating COVID-19 patients in the community and at field hospitals across the country. 

"Their experiences in the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic and NCDs will contribute to improving the quality of medical examination and treatment, especially in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," said Xuyen.

Participants heard that Vietnam had achieved important results during nearly two years facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the pandemic is now under control nationwide, the infection rate in the community is still on the increase in some provinces and cities. 

Experts warned that the pandemic was still unpredictable, especially with the risk of new variants emerging. Sharing of best practices and the latest advances in treatment was more important than ever.

The management and treatment of NCDs patients is a challenge to the healthcare system in Vietnam, according to experts. The fatality rate from NCDs is still rising, requiring timely solutions from the health sector to control NCDs in the context of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

Experts also suggested the health sector should prepare innovative solutions to address health care challenges in the long run.

Vietnam would need to enhance its national medicine supply security and ensure access to medicine, as well as promote scientific research and medicine manufacturing solutions to help the healthcare sector better cope with highly unpredicted pandemics in the future.