The Health Ministry and the NationalHospital of Endocrinology held a conference in Hanoi on September 24 atthe start of a national diabetes prevention project.

The project, approved by the government in late 2008, is part of anational programme to prevent HIV/AIDS and common diseases, especiallydangerous ones, until 2010.

On addressing the conference, also attended by the World HealthOrganisation (WHO) in Vietnam, the Director of the National Hospital ofEndocrinology Nguyen Van Tien said that diabetes was one of thediseases in the country to have seen a large increase in the numbers ofcases.

According to the health official, a survey conducted in 2008 showedthat about 5.7 percent of the Vietnamese population have contracted thedisease.

However, it is completely possible to prevent diabetes at community level, he said.

The project targets a number of goals, including re-training all localhealth officials taking part in the project, making sure that 100percent of provincial health officials are able to recognise people athigh risk, ensuring that at least 20 percent of all provincial healthofficials engaged in treating the disease have necessary skills andmaking sure that 70 percent of high-risk people have a consultationwith health officials.

It also aims to step up information campaigns as well as strengthen the community level diabetes prevention network.

In August, the government provided an additional budget of over 29 billion VND for the project./.