About 10% of the Vietnamese population, equivalent to 10 million people, suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, many of whom are undiagnosed or detected when lung function has decreased.
“Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the leading causes of death globally, of which more than 90% of deaths occur prematurely before age 70,” said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong. Global Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day 2025 held on November 19 at Bach Mai Hospital, to raise public awareness and promote measures to reduce the burden of this disease worldwide.
More than 390 million people around the world are living with COPD, the majority in low- and middle-income countries. It is estimated that by 2030, globally there will be more than 4.5 million deaths each year due to COPD. In Vietnam, the rate of COPD is about 10% of the population, or more than 10 million people. With increasing smoking rates and the aging of the population, the incidence of COPD is expected to continue to increase in the coming years.
COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide after cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The disease is not often diagnosed correctly, leading to people not being treated or not being treated properly. The disease is characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation due to abnormalities of the airways or alveoli.
A COPD patient being treated at Bach Mai Hospital. Image: But Nga
Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Giap, Deputy Director of Bach Mai Hospital, said that in Vietnam, the incidence of this disease is about 7.1% of men and 1.9% of women in the group of people over 40 years old. 50-70% of COPD patients have never been diagnosed or are only discovered when lung function has significantly decreased.
People with the disease in the early stages often have symptoms of cough, prolonged phlegm, and difficulty breathing. In the later stages, the patient is in a more severe form, often having difficulty breathing with light or continuous exertion. The patient’s condition may worsen when experiencing exacerbations. Patients with COPD have an acute attack leading to severe difficulty breathing and must be intubated or mechanically ventilated immediately.
Preventive medications for COPD patients are mostly covered by health insurance. In case health insurance does not pay, patients must take preventive medicine at home, which costs an average of about 1.5 million VND a month. When patients experience complications, treatment costs can increase 13 times, up to more than 200 million VND per year.
Early and appropriate diagnosis of COPD can have a significant impact on the health of the community, helping to improve symptoms, lung function and quality of life of patients, according to Associate Professor Giap.
Deputy Minister Huong also acknowledged that COPD cannot be cured, but symptoms can be improved if smoking and exposure to risk factors are avoided. Proactively prevent disease by not smoking, maintaining a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition and exercise. When symptoms of cough or difficulty breathing appear, you need to see a doctor early for timely detection and treatment.
Bach Mai Hospital began implementing activities to prevent and control chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma since 2011 in the National Strategy on prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. By 2024, the country will have more than 300 outpatient management rooms for COPD and bronchial asthma, and nearly 3,000 commune and ward health stations implementing prevention and early detection of COPD and bronchial asthma.