Vietnam faces economic and health burdens from tobacco use
(VOV) - Smoking-related diseases kill over 40,000 people in Vietnam each year, said World Health Organisation (WHO) Acting Representative, Jeffery Kobza.
He made the statement at a conference on May 28 in Hanoi to review 10 years of the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). He emphasized that Vietnam is facing a significant health and economic burden due to tobacco use.
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) in 2010, Vietnam is one of 15 nations with the largest cigarette smokers in the world. Tobacco use has been attributed to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and strokes throughout the country.
On November 11, 2014, Vietnam joined the FCTC with a commitment to implementing measures to effectively prevent and control tobacco harms. In recent time, the Ministry of Health has coordinated with relevant ministries and agencies to take drastic preventive measures towards a nationwide non-smoking environment .
Deputy Minister of Health, Nguyen Thi Xuyen, said non-governmental organisations (NGOs), universities, and research teams have been actively involved in prevention education efforts , which have demonstrated Vietnam’s determination to actively implement the FCTC.
However, she emphasised the need to strengthen cooperation among relevant ministries, provinces and agencies to follow the FCTC and the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms.