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Let me start by thanking Bach Mai Hospital for inviting me to this meeting to mark World COPD Day, which is an opportunity to raise awareness, share knowledge and discuss ways to reduce the burden of COPD worldwide.
The theme for World COPD Day this year is “Know Your Lung Function." It aims to highlight the importance of measuring lung function, which is not only a predictor of lung health, but of our overall health.
Even small declines in lung function are associated with an increased risk of death. So, measuring lung function throughout a person’s life is an opportunity for early diagnosis and prompt treatment of lung diseases such as COPD.
Ideally, COPD management should be as accessible as possible. We know that many people with COPD in Viet Nam need to rely on tertiary hospitals for diagnosis and care. However, the most equitable, effective and cost-effective way to expand access to care is to bring COPD management into primary health care facilities near where people live – and this is one of the strategies that we would recommend to Viet Nam, in line with the Government’s aspiration to strengthen grass roots care.
But of course, it is always better to prevent a problem than fix it.
WHO estimates that at least 75% of COPD is attributable to smoking. Our lungs can be damaged not only by ordinary tobacco, but also by new nicotine and tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
This is why WHO takes a very strong stance on tobacco control. Here in Viet Nam, WHO has two very strong recommendations to policy-makers for urgent action:
First, it is critical to increase tobacco taxes and prices, by at least 5,000 Vietnamese dong per pack by 2026, on top of the current tax, and raise this to 15,000 dong per pack by 2030. The National Assembly has a unique opportunity to do this during its upcoming session, when it discusses revising the Excise Tax Law.
Our second urgent recommendation is to ban all new nicotine and tobacco products including e-cigarettes and HTPs. I was very pleased to see a robust discussion on the importance of this measure during the National Assembly hearings earlier this week, and a strong consensus on the importance of this action. WHO stands ready to support the next steps however we can.
Let’s remember, the stakes here are very high.
Smoking kills more than 100,000 people a year in Viet Nam, according to estimates from the latest Global Burden of Disease Study.
Most smoking deaths are of men in their prime, leaving behind spouses, children, parents, friends and workplaces.
On new nicotine and tobacco products, their use has soared in recent years in Viet Nam. Between 2019 and 2023, the percentage of teenagers vaping jumped from 2.6% to about 7%.
Worryingly, last year, hospitals reported more than 1200 emergencies associated with use of these products.
It is clear that we need stronger action to reduce tobacco and nicotine use in Viet Nam, and in doing so, protect our lungs and overall health and save lives.
Before I close, I have one last request, to anyone here in the audience today who smokes, or who has a colleague who smokes.
I appeal to you, personally, to try to quit, not only for your own health, and for the people around you. There is a very good Quitline available in this hospital – start by dropping in or giving them a call. I make this appeal not just for your own health, but also for your patients. There is evidence that health workers have the greatest potential of any group in society to support people to quit smoking. So, please consider using this professional super-power to be a smoke-free role model and promote a tobacco-free culture.
Thank you again for the opportunity to speak. I wish you all a successful and productive World COPD Day as we work toward our common goal of better lungs and a safer and healthier Viet Nam!
Xin cảm ơn!