Promoting international cooperation to effectively prevent and treat diabetes was discussed by Vietnamese and foreign health experts a workshop held in Hanoi on May 29.

Jointly organised by the Ministry of Public Health and the Danish Embassy in Vietnam, the event offered a good chance to participants to share practical experience to fight against the disease, which is posing a great challenge for the global public health sector.

Addressing the event, Danish Ambassador John Nielsen highly appreciated Vietnam’s initiative in preventing and combating the disease.

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Xuyen voiced that the prevalence of diabetes has grown in Vietnam in recent years , especially in cities and industrials parks.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation, Vietnam is one of the countries with the highest rates of diabetes. Xuyen said that a large number of patients, their families and medical units must spend much money treating the disease.

She also stressed that further involvement and coordination between relevant ministries, sectors, agencies and organisations must be fostered to cope with diabetes.

At the event, experts analysed challenges facing countries in fighting against diabetes, while proposing several preventive measures and new medical methods to treat and contain the spread of the disease.

Statistics by the WHO have shown that about 382 million people around the world are suffering from diabetes, which is one of the six leading causes of death.-VNA