Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) The Healthy Lung programme aims to improve the quality of outpatient managementof asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in nine Asiancountries. Vietnam is among the first countries to implement this programme in2017 under the guidance of MSA.
During the second phase from 2020–23, the programme expanded to more fields oflung cancer and pediatric care with the participation of four partners (theVietnam Lung Association, Vietnam Respiratory Association, Ho Chi MinhAssociation of Asthma, Allergy & Clinical Immunology and Vietnam PediatricsAssociation) and five leading oncology hospitals (K Hospital, HCM OncologyHospital, Da Nang Oncology Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital and Hanoi OncologyHospital).
The programme was announced by the Medical Service Association under theMinistry of Health (MSA), AstraZeneca Vietnam and professional associations atan expert discussion at the Ministry of Health.
It is expected that in the next phase, the programme will be expanded to thefield of pediatric respiratory diseases with the participation of the VietnamPediatric Association.
Accordingly, the Vietnam Pediatrics Association, a new partner of theprogramme, will lead specialised activities for pediatric patients to enhanceand synchronise respiratory care capabilities for children. Key activitiesinclude raising awareness of disease management, providing medical equipment,and developing treatment guidelines to strengthen the capacity of healthworkers throughout the patient journey.
"We are delighted to witness Healthy Lung’s important contributions toreduce the disease burden and help to standardise outpatient management carefor asthma, COPD and lung cancer. Caring for children with respiratory diseasesis another important area that the MSA highly encourages, and we are delightedby the determination of AstraZeneca and professional associations to care forthis group, especially children living with bronchial asthma, and will guidethe implementation in the coming time,” said MSA director Prof. Dr. Luong NgocKhue, Vice Chairman - the National Medical Council.
Nitin Kapoor, Chairman and General Director, AstraZeneca Vietnam and Asia AreaFrontier Markets, said: “Children’s health is crucial to a nation's future, Iam truly confident that the Healthy Lung programme will enable better care forchildren with respiratory diseases in the community and help them grow uphealthier.”
To date, the programme has reached and managed more than 200,000 patients, setup 150 standardised clinics and organized more than 260 scientific seminars fornearly 14,000 medical staff members. In this new phase, the partners organisedactivities on digital and social media such as Youtube, and online patienteducation events besides its website //vilaphoikhoe.kcb.vn, fan page//www.facebook.com/vilaphoikhoe.
Among the most common respiratory diseases in Vietnamese children, theprevalence of bronchial asthma is 10 per cent, double the rate in adults, andit has constantly increased during the last five years. Respiratory diseases inchildren are more difficult to diagnose, treat and manage than in adults. Manyfactors such as low awareness, parents' self-medication, children'sunwillingness to adhere to treatment, limited medical equipment and essentialdrugs at the grassroots level are impacting the quality of pediatricrespiratory disease management./.
VNA
