Personnel of Dong Bang Commune Health Station (Mai Chau) carry out a periodical blood test for Luu Xuan Lich, a resident in Tieu Khu hamlet, Dong Bang commune.

According to the health sector's assessment, the people suffering from hypertension and diabetes account for about 10 percent of the population. However, only about 30 percent of the patients have been diagnosed and managed. Meanwhile, the grassroots-level health facilities, particularly in communes and wards, have yet to provide adequate services for early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and counseling, among others. The service quality is limited due to a shortage of human resources and essential drugs, particularly those treating diabetes and blood pressure conditions.

Vu Thanh, Head of the NCD Prevention and Control Department at the provincial Center for Disease Control, said the management, detection and treatment of NCDs at the grassroots-level facilities are important. The places help not only people with NCDs get better health care and cut treatment costs, but also the entire system improve its medical examination and treatment quality, he added.

Implementing the decisions by the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Health on the prevention and control of NCDs, the centre has developed a plan for the work until 2025. Accordingly, it focuses on boosting relevant authorities’ responsibilities and people's awareness; strengthening interdisciplinary coordination and the local capacity of NCDs prevention, monitoring, detection, diagnosis, and treatment, among others. The plan aims at successfully implementing health screening for NCDs at grassroots-level health facilities.