Vietnam has faced a heavy disease burden with both communicable andnon-communicable diseases, stated Deputy Health Minister Nguyen ThiXuyen.

Despite general control of infectiousdiseases, they remain a threat to the health of the country coupled withup to 73 percent of mortality as a result of non-infectious diseases,mostly heart disease and cancer, she said at a seminar on theinteraction of contagious, non-contagious and environmental diseases inHanoi on March 24.

Vietnam has also countered various environmental risks, including unsafe food and air pollution, said Xuyen.

She said she hopes seminar participants will suggest priority plansfor researching, disrupting and preventing diseases in Vietnam.

Reports at the event revealed that like many other low-incomecountries, Vietnam is facing both high-risk infectious andincreasing rates of non-infectious diseases. Rapid urbanisation andenvironmental pressure are contributing factors of epidemictransformation.

Stroke, coronary disease, livercancer and lung disease are four of the leading causes of death inVietnam, killing 150,000 people each year, according to a diseaseburden report.

Air pollution is a major contributorto the heavy disease burden, said the report, adding that dengue feveris expanding with over 70,000 cases each year. Bird flu virus H5N1,foot-and-mouth disease and measles are also among threats to thecommunity.

The two-day seminar will also focus onclarifying infectious challenges in Vietnam, impacts of environmentalpollution to communicable and non-communicable diseases, and the role ofthe private sector in dealing with the double disease burden.-VNA