Vietnam health ministry proposes nationwide monitoring of cancers, air pollution, other health risks

The draft outlines surveillance to be carried out across healthcare facilities, schools, workplaces and communities to track disease patterns, detect risks early and support prevention measures.

Diseases listed for monitoring include several common cancers such as liver, lung, breast, cervical, prostate and colorectal cancer, the draft said.

Cardiovascular conditions including hypertension and stroke, metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, respiratory illnesses including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, and chronic kidney disease would also be tracked.

The proposed system would monitor people diagnosed with non-communicable diseases, deaths linked to those illnesses and individuals considered at risk, defined as those with at least one risk factor.

Risk factors listed include smoking, alcohol use, unhealthy diets and low physical activity, as well as metabolic conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar and obesity, defined as a body mass index above 23.

Environmental risks including air pollution from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide, as well as soil and water contamination by heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic, would also be monitored.

The system would also record deaths caused by non-communicable diseases, including the date and place of death, medical treatment received within 30 days before death and the underlying cause of death based on international disease classification codes.

The draft says surveillance would include routine monitoring and periodic surveys, including a nationwide survey on non-communicable disease risk factors every five years.