The Menzies Research Institute has been awarded USD $2,000,000 to establish a system to monitor the growing problem of non-communicable diseases in Viet Nam.

The Menzies Research Institute has been awarded USD $2,000,000 to establish a system to monitor the growing problem of non-communicable diseases in Viet Nam.

The funding from USA-based The Atlantic Philanthropies will allow the Institute to establish a country-wide system for measuring the impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.

In developing nations such as Viet Nam, the burden of NCDs has taken over from the traditional problems of infectious diseases like malaria and tuberculosis, and disorders due to under-nutrition and deficiencies.

Menzies Research Institute project coordinator Dr Robert Granger says that in the Western Pacific region, seven out of every ten deaths are currently due to NCDs.

"Viet Nam, in particular, is one of the countries most affected in the region. Cardiovascular mortality, cancer and diabetes are the leading causes of death in the country, alongside death from injury," Dr Granger said.

NCDs are increasing in prevalence as a result of changing lifestyles and changing economies in developing countries. Evidence shows that a few major risk factors, namely smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and alcohol, cause more than three out of four cases of chronic NCDs.

"Diabetes rates have doubled in both urban and rural Viet Nam. This is directly related to changing lifestyles, namely decreasing physical activity and increasing overweight. The reduction in active transport is obvious on the streets of Viet Nam; where streets used to teem with bicycles, the principal mode of transport today is the motorcycle," he said.

"Approximately 23% of urban primary school children in Ho Chi Minh City are now overweight and 10-12% are obese. This significantly elevates their risk of future diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and other NCDs."

The establishment of a system for measuring rates of NCDs and related risk factors in Viet Nam is an essential pre-requisite to taking action to address the problem. Apart from six cancer registries, at present there is no coordinated system of registries or databases to collect information on disease prevalence.

"There is a saying, 'we measure that which we wish to change'. Accurate data and statistics will allow informed planning of public health programs aimed at addressing the growing NCD epidemic in Viet Nam," said Dr Granger.

"Viet Nam's current situation is similar to that of Australia around 60 years ago. This is a critical moment where intervention will have a significant impact on the future health and prosperity of the country."

The Menzies Research Institute will work in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Viet Nam Ministry of Health on this project. The Institute has been working in the Western Pacific region for several years, assisting countries in the planning and implementation of programs for the prevention and control of NCDs.

Dr Rob Granger has coordinated the Institute's WHO-affiliated activities for the past five years. At the same time he has been studying full time for a degree in medicine and is about to begin his final year of studies.

Vietnamese medical professional, Dr Au Bich Thuy has recently come to Tasmania to undertake studies for a PhD at the Institute, evaluating different ways of measuring physical activity in the Vietnamese population. She is also looking at data from an earlier STEPS survey in Viet Nam. Training is an important part of building Viet Nam's capacity for dealing with the problem of NCDs.

"When I return to Viet Nam at the end of my studies, I will be able to use the skills I have developed to continue the Institute's work in this area," said Dr Thuy.

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