Vietnam has approximately four million asthma sufferers, accounting for five percent of the country’s population, of whom, 8-12 percent are children.

The figures were released at a meeting and scientific seminar on asthma, held in Hanoi on May 8, in response to World Asthma Day, which is usually held in the first week of May.

According to Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, bronchial asthma is a common chronic disease affecting the respiratory system among people of all ages and the numbers of cases are rising every year.

To deal with the disease, Vietnam will put together a network to prevent bronchial asthma at all levels and integrate diagnosis and consultancy with a Practical Approach to Lung Health (PAL) at general and specialised clinics, said the Deputy Minister.

An asthma prevention project has set up examination rooms especially for bronchial asthma at hospitals in 15 provinces and cities and is running 15 training courses on prevention skills and how to treat bronchial asthma for nearly 1,800 health workers.

According to the Director of the Vietnam Association of Asthma, Allergies and Clinical Immunology, Nguyen Nang An, said that research conducted by the Asia-Pacific Association has show that Vietnam ranks 7th out of 12 surveyed countries in the region in terms of asthma control./.