Ageing, health and policy response in Vietnam

The 2009 Population and Housing Census data have indicated that Vietnam is reaching the end of its “demographic transition” marked by three emerging characteristics, i.e. decreasing fertility rates, decreasing mortality rates, and increasing life expectancy. As a result, the percentage of elderly population (aged 60+) increased from 6.9 percent in 1979 to 9 percent in 2009 or 2.12 times in term of absolute number. Vietnam population will enter the aging phase in 2017.
Getting old before getting rich, the elderly population in Vietnam is facing various health issues i.e. changing substantially from communicable diseases to non-communicable and chronic ones; higher treatment cost; poor quality health services to the elderly living in rural, mountainous areas and ethnic minorities as well as low awareness of health risks among elderly themselves. In contrast, insufficient investments have been made to the elderly care system leading to the fact that while life expectancy is increasing, healthy life conditions for the elderly have not been significantly improved.
In response to the aging situation, a policy package needs to be addressed from strengthening healthcare services to health education, better elderly-friendly living environment and public social and community-based assistance.