Vietnam needs to reverse the trend of becoming an “aged” population, a process which was first recognised in 2011. The country’s population is forecast to be “aged” by 2028-2031, which is sooner than in many developed countries, Deputy Head of the General Department for Population and Family Planning Nguyen Van Tan said at a conference in Hanoi on September 17 as part of the 12th ASEAN Health Ministers’ Meeting from September 15-19. Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Viet Tien informed participants that residents aged 65 and over made up 7% of Vietnam’s total population and they predominantly lived in rural areas where medical equipment and services was inadequate. In Vietnam, more than 70% of the elderly rely on financial support from their families in addition to their own income-generating activities and savings. Furthermore, 95% of Vietnam’s elderly live with chronic and non-communicable diseases. Workshop participants discussed a range of measures to address these trends and provide community-based care for senior citizens. On the same day, a workshop was held in the capital on sustainable financing for the fight against HIV/AIDS in ASEAN. In 2013, the Prime Minister approved a project aiming to secure sufficient funding for the fight against HIV/AIDS until 2020, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long told participants. Vietnam is also working to guarantee an ample supply of anti-retroviral (ARV) medication and methadone for patients. Compared to 30 years ago, the number of new cases of HIV/AIDS infections and AIDS fatalities has declined significantly, with the number of AIDS patients on ARV treatment on the rise, Long said. (VietnamPlus Sept 17)
