High rise workers

People exercise at a park in HCM City. Health experts recommend that people carefully watch what they eat, be physically active, avoid the use of tobacco and alcohol, and lower stress levels. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Although average life expectancy has increased, the number of cases of non-infectious disease among Vietnamese has risen, said Dr Nguyen Thi Kim Tien , head of the Department of Health Protection and Care of Central Officials. Tien spoke at an annual national workshop on health and longevity held in Ho Chi Minh City on April 8. The average life expectancy of Vietnamese is 73.6 compared to 68.6 in 1999, according to the population census in 2019. However, Vietnamese women are ill an average of a total of 11 years, compared to eight years for men, she said. “Non-infectious chronic diseases are the number one killer today, with more than 70 percent of deaths coming from cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes,” she noted. The number of cases increase significantly from the age of 40 due to aging, inadequate nutrition, high consumption of tobacco and alcohol, stress, and other factors. “The number in Vietnam has reached alarming levels,” she said, adding that “how we age depends hugely on how we behave.” She said that people should carefully watch what they eat, be physically active, avoid the use of tobacco and alcohol, and lower stress levels. “You should listen to your body and see a doctor as soon as possible if ill because early detection is important in treatment, reducing mortality and improving quality of life,” she said. Aging population In 2011, Vietnam began to enter the period of an aging population and is one of the countries with the fastest aging rates in the world. In 2017, the number of people 60 years and older accounted for 11.9 percent of the total population. This group will account for about 21 million people by 2038, or 20 percent of the population. The number will reach 27 million or 25 …

[Read more...] about Vietnamese life expectancy up, but non-infectious disease cases rise

During weekends, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m, many streets of the central town are crowded with groups of visitors. On average, Hoi An attracts more than 1,000 visitors over weekends, three times more than on normal days. The surge in tourist numbers has been credited to the country's good handling of its latest Covid-19 outbreak that began on Jan. 28. All 13 affected localities including hotspot Hai Duong Province have passed many days without new community transmissions. Hundreds of tourists stroll along Tran Phu Street. Visitors cycle along Le Loi Street. Motorbikes and cars are banned from the town center for large parts of the day - from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., making bicycles the most ideal choice for town explorations. Hoi An has pioneered pedestrian-friendly streets since 2004, with most hotels, restaurants and homestay facilities offering bike rental services. Many visitors prefer the tranquility of biking through narrow alleys and past yellow houses decorated with old red-tiled roofs. Rental prices range from VND20,000 to VND40,000 ($0.87 - 1.73) a day. Pagoda Bridge is an iconic symbol of Hoi An. The bridge, built by Japanese traders in the 17th century, is a national relic that appears on VND20,000 bills. Lan, the owner of a sweet shop on Bach Dang Street, said it has been a long time since she has served such a large number of weekend customers. In January and February, there were no customers, so she only opened her shop on weekends, though selling little. "From March 8 till now, the number of customers has tripled, so I now keep my shop open every day to increase my income,” she said. The ancient town is seen from …

[Read more...] about Hoi An bursts with weekend visitors after Covid-19 contained

Robust growth trends projected for investment in healthcare. Source: freepik.com Kim Dental, Vietnam’s largest private dental care platform, has recently raised $24 million in a series B round. The investment was led by ABC World Asia, a private equity fund dedicated to investing across Asia, seeded by Temasek. Proceeds from the round, which saw the participation from existing backer Aura Private Equity, will support Kim Dental in expanding the delivery of affordable and reliable oral health services across Vietnam. Kim Dental owns and operates a fast-growing network of 19 dental clinics across four cities. The clinics provide dental check-ups and treatments as well as more advanced orthodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery, and implants. Kim Dental employs 120 dentists and dental surgeons, as well as over 600 clinical and operational staff serving over 23,000 patients per month. Kim Dental also operates a dental laboratory to support its clinic network with in-house production of crowns, dentures, and bridges. Huynh Minh Viet, CFO of Kim Dental said, “With this successful round, we’re now well-positioned to expand our delivery of international quality dental care to the fast-growing communities across the country, thus improving community access and helping to elevate the standards of oral healthcare in Vietnam, so that we achieve more positive overall healthcare outcomes in our country.” Meanwhile, SK Group is said to be mulling over an investment in Vietnam’s largest pharmacy retail chain, Pharmacity, with an expected value of up to $90 million, according to Dealstreetasia. Phamarcity is Vietnam’s largest pharmacy retailer with approximately 500 drugstores. The company has a plan to open its 1,000th store this year. If the deal is concluded, it would make up SK Group’s second investment in Vietnam’s pharmacy and healthcare market. Last May, SK Investment III, a subsidiary of South Korea’s third-largest conglomerate SK Group, received 12.32 million …

[Read more...] about Robust growth trends projected for investment in healthcare