Nitin Kapoor, chairman of AstraZeneca Vietnam and Asia Asia Frontier Markets (second right), presents the donation to Deputy Minister of Health Trương Quốc Cường (second, left) on Friday. —Photo courtesy of the British Embassy in Vietnam

HÀ NỘI — AstraZeneca Vietnam on Friday donated 150,000 boxes of medicine worth VNĐ62.6 billion to the Ministry of Health to support the treatment of non-communicable disease patients during the coronavirus pandemic.

Việt Nam is facing the fourth outbreak of the virus with surging cases across the country. Amid the pandemic, the country is also facing the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that are currently the leading cause of death, accounting for about 70 per cent of the local disease burden.

Nationwide, 77 out of 100 deaths are due to NCDs, of which cardiovascular diseases account for 31 per cent, cancer 19 per cent, COPD 6 per cent, and diabetes 4 per cent. In addition, underlying conditions of NCDs are also aggravating and risk factors for deaths due to the virus.

As part of the company’s commitment to support the Ministry of Health to effectively manage non-communicable diseases during the pandemic, AstraZeneca Vietnam donated medicine to support treatments for NCD patients – those who are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus.

Deputy Minister of Health Trương Quốc Cường said the ministry valued AstraZeneca’s role in supporting Việt Nam to combat the impact of COVID.

“Your important contribution today will help strengthen both the treatment of NCD during the pandemic, as well as the health system as a whole. On this occasion, we would also like to encourage people to maintain their regular health checks and manage their conditions, which will prevent them from greater risks once contracting this virus,” he said.

Speaking at the event, British Ambassador Gareth Ward said: “Tackling NCDs, both in terms of prevention and treatment, plays a crucial role in improving social welfare and economic development in Việt Nam; and becomes even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Chairman and General Director of AstraZeneca Vietnam and Asia Area Frontier Markets Nitin Kapoor said: “We are confident that this donation will help maintain crucial treatment for local patients and reduce the risks from underlying conditions coupled with coronavirus.”

According to the Ministry of Health, the medicines will soon be distributed in line with the objectives of the National Strategy for the Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases, giving priority to grassroots-level health facilities amid limited access to innovative medicines. — VNS