Noncommunicable diseases, including health promotion, tobacco free initiative and injury

The Noncommunicable diseases programme (NCD) focuses on reducing unhealthy lifestyle and behaviors such as smoking, high alcohol consumption, unsafe driving, lack of exercise and poor diet that lead to chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure. The NCD programme promotes a transition from a predominant clinical management approach to risk factor prevention, developing community-based interventions to prevent and control NCDs, including surveillance activities. Viet Nam is one of fifteen priority countries to benefit from the 2007 Bloomberg Global Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, of which WHO is one of the five project partners. WHO has provided crucial support to the development of the draft law of preventing tobacco related harm, which is currently with the National Assembly for consideration.

Providing technical assistance to the Government is a key focus on establishing a comprehensive injury surveillance system; developing standards for trauma care, teaching curriculum for injury prevention and implementing known effective interventions for injury prevention. The NCD programme also implements road traffic injury prevention in Viet Nam with a focus on increasing the use of quality motorcycle helmets and enhanced enforcement of drink-driving, cyclists and motorcyclists. In the area of occupational health, WHO is supporting research on emerging occupational hazards that will eventually lead to the development of codes of practices for occupational health, and providing technical assistance to build capacity for Basic Occupational Health Service.

Publications and documents

Global status report on noncommunicable diseases (2010)

Related topics

Upcoming events

Contact details

World Health Organization Representative Office Viet Nam
63 Tran Hung Dao Street
Ha Noi
Viet Nam
Telephone: +84 4 3943 3734 / 5 / 6
Facsimile: +84 4 3943 3740
E-mail: media.vtn@wpro.who.int