Localities move to combat diabetes
Free check-ups and consultations on diabetes were offered at an awareness raising event in Ho Chi Minh City on November 14 on the life-threatening disease and healthy lifestyles.
The event is part of a series of activities in response to World Diabetes Day (November 14).
Over the last 10 years, diabetes has increased at an alarming rate of 300 percent in the city, much higher than the country’s average.
As much as 7.9% and 35.6% of the municipal adult population suffer from diabetes and pre-diabetes, respectively.
Director of Ho Chi Minh City Nutrition Centre, Do Thi Ngoc Diep, said the growing number of local diabetes patients is to blame on protein-laden diets and a lack of physical activity.
Meanwhile, in northern Bac Giang province a number of projects have been implemented to prevent and control the disease, according to Tran Van Sinh, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Health.
As much as 70 percent of local patients have benefitted from the projects.
Director of Bac Giang’s Endocrine Disease and Malaria Prevention Centre, Hoang Xuan Thuc, said the centre has undertaken maximum efforts to facilitate patients’ access to consultations, medical services and medication, having served nearly 50,000 patients so far this year.
The locality also aims to enhance medical staff’s capacity and communication efforts to ensure effective prevention and control of the disease in the community.
As a chronic disease, diabetes increases the risk of other serious health problems, such as blindness or heart and kidney failure.
Medical experts said diabetes and its complications can be prevented through early treatment, staying in good physical shape and eating healthily.
In Vietnam , around five percent and 27% of the population suffer from diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes, respectively.
Notably, 65% of patients have not been officially diagnosed, and a majority of those that have been diagnosed have yet to receive proper treatment.
In the 1990s, diabetes affected 1.2% of the population of 20- to 79-year-olds. The rate jumped to 2.7% in 2002 and 5.7% in 2012.
People suffering from obesity and high blood pressure face a higher risk of developing diabetes.