An estimated 7 million Vietnamese are currently living with diabetes, but about 50% remain undiagnosed, a dangerous gap that is fuelling serious, preventable complications and increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Bich Dao, President of the HCM City Diabetes and Endocrinology Association, said: “The real danger isn’t just the surge in numbers. It’s the fact that most people don’t know they’re sick until it’s too late."
The disease is particularly striking younger people at unprecedented rates.
New cases among adults aged 20-79 have tripled since 2000, and diagnoses are rising fast among those under 40, including children.
Doctors are now seeing patients as young as their teens.
More than 55% of people with diabetes in Vietnam suffer from serious complications, including heart disease (34%), eye and nerve damage (39%), and kidney failure (24%), drastically increasing medical costs and reducing life expectancy.
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| Dr. Nguyen Thi Bich Dao, President of the HCM City Diabetes and Endocrinology Association |
Nationwide screening needed
Health authorities are calling for immediate nationwide screening, particularly for those over 45 or with risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, or a family history of diabetes.
Early detection of prediabetes can reverse the course. But if we wait, it becomes a lifelong condition with deadly consequences, experts say.
The warning comes amid a lack of public awareness. Many Vietnamese, especially younger adults, skip health checkups, underestimate their risk, or fail to recognise the early signs of diabetes.
Doctors are urging the public to adopt healthier diets, avoid sugary drinks, increase physical activity, and get regular blood sugar tests before the disease becomes a life-threatening crisis.
“This is no longer a future problem,” Dao said. “It’s already here, and it’s costing lives.”/.
Binh Nguyen