Strategic partnership to improve retinal disease management in Vietnam

On October 25, the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management ( Ministry of Health ), the Central Eye Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital and Roche Pharma Vietnam Co., Ltd. officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Cooperation Program "For Vietnamese Eyes."

The program aims to build a comprehensive management model for patients with diabetic retinopathy and macular edema, one of the leading causes of blindness in working-age people in Vietnam.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Trong Khoa - Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management (Ministry of Health ) emphasized that the Department is committed to accompanying and providing maximum support for the development of a comprehensive management model and policies for patients with diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. This model not only helps improve the quality of treatment for patients but is also an important step forward for the development of ophthalmology in public hospitals, especially at the provincial level. The application of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) in early detection is a strategic direction that will be actively promoted.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Khoa - Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)

Associate Professor Pham Ngoc Dong - Director of the Central Eye Hospital, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Ophthalmological Association affirmed that as a leading eye hospital, the Central Eye Hospital is committed to devoting the highest resources and expertise to successfully build this comprehensive management model through the cooperation program "For Vietnamese Eyes", especially in building and perfecting professional guidelines and proposing related policies.

The Central Eye Hospital is committed to supporting diabetic patients in early diagnosis and treatment of eye complications, helping to maintain vision and improve quality of life, especially for those of working age.

Mr. Le Anh Tuan - Director of Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital said that Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital is committed to playing a pioneering role in the Southern region in training, transferring techniques and improving professional capacity for medical staff within the framework of the cooperation program "For Vietnamese Eyes" in particular and in the field of ophthalmology in general.

Within the framework of the Cooperation Program “For Vietnamese Eyes,” the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management acts as the focal point and is responsible for the overall management, development and implementation of the Program. Relevant units, including hospitals participating in the program, are responsible for reporting periodically every 6 months on the implementation status.

The program's goals are aimed at one of the general goals of the National Strategy for Blindness Prevention to 2020 and Vision to 2030, which is to increase the rate of diabetic patients being examined and monitored for eye diseases to over 75%.

Delegates attending the Memorandum Signing Ceremony. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)

The strategic cooperation program was officially signed, marking an important milestone, affirming the parties' shared vision and commitment to proactively addressing public health challenges with comprehensive and sustainable action solutions, contributing to reducing the disease burden for people with diabetic retinopathy and macular edema and improving the quality of life for the Vietnamese people.

Retinal diseases are not only a medical problem but also create a serious socio-economic burden, negatively impacting the productivity and quality of life of millions of people. Globally, retinal diseases are among the leading causes of permanent vision loss.

According to the World Health Organization, up to one-third of people with diabetes have some degree of retinopathy. Addressing the challenge of diagnosing and treating retinopathy, particularly diabetic retinopathy, is an urgent public health priority.

In Vietnam, there are about 7 million people aged 30-69 with diabetes. Notably, diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness in people of working age. Statistics also show that 39.5% of complications of diabetes are related to the eyes and nerves./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/hop-tac-chien-luoc-nham-cai-thien-quan-ly-benh-vong-mac-tai-viet-nam-post1072621.vnp