VietNamNet Bridge – More and more Vietnamese arc dying from non-infectious diseases, said health officials at a meeting yesterday, though the number of infectious disease cases has declined.

A doctor takes care of patients at Tumor Ward, Thai Nguyen Hospital. Cancer is on the rise in Vietnam.

The Ministry of Health held the meeting to review progress over the last five years in fighting and preventing non-infectious diseases.

Ly Ngoc Kinh, director of the ministry's Treatment Department, said heart problems, cancer, diabetes and mental disorders are on the rise.

Statistics from the Viet Nam Heart Institute show that between 2002 and 2005, the number of inpatients with high blood pressure increased from about 1,150 a year to 1,700.

The latest reports indicate 75,000 Vietnamese are dying from cancer, while 100,000-150,000 people are battling the disease.

About 0.3% of the population has epilepsy, while 2.8% are under constant mental stress, says the ministry.

Another national report in 2002 showed that 2.7% of the population had adult-onset diabetes. Among the cases, up to 64% were discovered only after being hospitalised.

The ministry has established a healthcare network to fight non-infectious diseases, which has yet reached the grassroots level.

Officials at yesterday's meeting agreed more effort be put into expanding the network to rural communities and improving public awareness of non-infectious diseases via media campaigns over the next three years.

(Source: Viet Nam News)