Vietnam faces rising burden of non-communicable diseases

Vietnam is facing a dual burden of disease, with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases now accounting for approximately 80% of annual deaths. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality, while stroke and ischemic heart disease are significant contributors. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) also represents a major health challenge, causing an estimated 35,600 deaths in Vietnam in 2021.

To address these challenges, Pfizer Vietnam signed two three-year strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) on August 13 and 14, 2026, with the Ho Chi Minh City Respiratory Society and Gia Dinh People's Hospital. These partnerships aim to enhance medical professional capacity, improve diagnostic and treatment quality, and promote non-commercial community health education.

Medical experts, including Assoc. Prof. Tran Van Ngoc, have noted that COPD patients often seek medical attention only in late stages when airway obstruction is severe, leading to difficult, costly, and high-mortality treatments. Furthermore, COPD is linked to extra-pulmonary complications, including cognitive decline, which affects between 32% and 56% of patients.