A boy is tested for diabetes at the Đồng Nai Children's Hospital in Đồng Nai City. — Photo www.dongnaicdc.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnam Pediatric Association (VPA) and Roche Diabetes Care Vietnam, represented by Roche Vietnam Company Limited, signed a cooperation agreement to enhance access to care for underprivileged children with Type 1 diabetes in Việt Nam on May 25.

The partnership is part of a broader global collaboration between Novo Nordisk and Roche under the Changing Diabetes® in Children programme, a collaborative effort led by Novo Nordisk and Roche Diabetes Care, which also involves other global and local partners.

The public-private partnership programme aims to broaden access and create sustainable care structures in under-resourced countries. Moreover, it provides life-saving insulin and diabetes management supplies to children and young people living with Type 1 diabetes up to 25 years of age.

Under the scope of the new collaboration, the programme aims to enhance the quality of care for children with Type 1 diabetes in Việt Nam by providing education and training for doctors and nurses, and boosting awareness about diabetes and its management among children with Type 1 diabetes and their families.

The programme will also drive sustainable ways to integrate programme components into the national healthcare system. As part of the programme, VPA and Roche will provide free diabetes monitoring and management kits, including blood glucose meters, test strips, and lancets. The partnership will extend care to 2,600 children and adolescents with diabetes through the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital and other hospitals nationwide, covering urban and rural areas.

Delegates sign a cooperation agreement to enhance access to care for underprivileged children living with Type 1 diabetes in Việt Nam on May 25. — Photo Roche Vietnam

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“Through this partnership, the VPA aims to relieve the financial and emotional burden of living with diabetes for families of children with Type 1 diabetes. I hope many more children will experience the life-changing impact of having the necessary diabetes management tools to manage their condition well,” said President of the Vietnam Pediatric Association and Director of National Children's Hospital Trần Minh Điển.

Mihai Irimescu, Cluster Head of Asia Emerging Markets, Roche Diabetes Care, said, “Pediatric health is an important investment in a nation’s future. All of us at Roche are committed to enabling access to essential diabetes care for children with Type 1 diabetes in the community, and helping them grow up to lead normal and healthier lives.”

Việt Nam is home to almost four million adults with diabetes, where 51.5 per cent of the diabetes population remains undiagnosed. Furthermore, an estimated 39,500 children and adolescents under the age of 20 are living with Type 1 diabetes in Asia’s emerging markets. This data highlights the urgent need for awareness, early diagnosis, and access to medication and management solutions to treat this chronic condition through building accessible and sustainable healthcare structures. — VNS