Viatris Vietnam, VNHA and VRA collaborate to elevate patient care

This third-year event is part of a series of Viatris’ education programs for healthcare professionals (HCPs) from the Southeast Asia region, offering a program for capability building, exchanging ideas, and exploring relevant topics in the field.

This year’s program focused on advancing cardiovascular health and pain management in tandem with mental health issues to support optimal patient care.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in Asia, with the proportion of CVD deaths out of total deaths increasing from 23% to 35%, according to Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, unfavorable lipid levels, high body mass index, and diabetes independently increase CVD risk, and their combined presence synergistically amplifies overall risk.

The increasing burden of these risk factors in Asian populations poses significant challenges for healthcare systems.

In Vietnam, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) now account for over 80% of deaths.

Deaths due to CVD before age 70 comprise around 41.3% of these cases, and disability-adjusted life years due to NCDs amount to approximately 73.7%.

Experts discussing at the event on August 3. Photo courtesy of Viatris

Professor Huynh Van Minh, president of the VNHA, said that with the increasing burden of NCDs, Vietnam faces significant challenges in managing hypertension, dyslipidemia, and neuropathic pain due to limited healthcare resources.

“We need support in providing educational resources for HCPs to manage these chronic conditions,” Minh said. “By providing HCPs with up-to-date information and treatment options, we can ensure they are well-equipped to deliver optimal patient care.”

Associate Prof. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan, president of the VRA, acknowledged that in addition to academic elements, these courses are great opportunities for Vietnamese doctors to interact and practice in a professional medical environment with leading experts.

Dr. Nathaniel Solpico Orillaza Jr speaking at the conference. Photo courtesy of Viatris

Dr. Nagendra Ramanjinappa, Head of Medical Affairs Asia and SSA at Viatris, stated that medical education events like these create invaluable opportunities for healthcare professionals and stakeholders to contribute to the shifting healthcare landscape and drive meaningful outcomes through public and private collaboration.

Coming together to network, share expertise and data, and design collaborative initiatives is essential to addressing the escalating disease burden in the region.

“We must develop sustainable programs with clear actions and measurable impacts,” he added.

Viatris is a global healthcare company positioned to bridge the traditional divide between generics and brands, combining the best of both to more holistically address healthcare needs globally.

With a mission to empower people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life, the company provides access at scale, currently supplying high-quality medicines to approximately 1 billion patients around the world annually.

In Vietnam, Viatris’ broad portfolio includes CVD, pain, the central nervous system, and men’s health, including a continued focus on localization efforts through technology transfer of off-patent originators.