Type 1 diabetes accounts for 90% of diabetes cases in children.

This afternoon, June 24, at the Ministry of Health, a cooperation signing ceremony took place between the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management (Ministry of Health) and the Embassy of Denmark on preventing and combating type 1 diabetes for Vietnamese children and adolescents.

At the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Trong Khoa, Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management (Ministry of Health), said that diabetes is a public health threat worldwide as well as in Vietnam. Medical costs for diabetes in adults account for 12% of global medical costs.

With the support of the Danish Embassy and partners, the Ministry of Health is implementing training programs to improve the capacity to diagnose and control type 1 diabetes for children with the disease.

Notably, according to the leader of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, type 1 diabetes currently accounts for 90% of diabetes cases in children, but Vietnam does not have complete data on the epidemiology of this disease in children. Data from end-level children's hospitals show that there are nearly 2,000 children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and the trend has been increasing nationwide for the past 7 years.

Also according to Mr. Khoa, in response to that reality, the Ministry of Health has just issued separate guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of type 1 diabetes, updated from international standards, focusing on clinical practice of diagnosis and treatment for general practitioners and specialists in daily medical examination and treatment.

This guideline is particularly meaningful in early detection, diagnosis, timely treatment and good control of type 1 diabetes, thereby reducing the burden of disease for children and families living with type 1 diabetes, helping patients have a long healthy life.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Minh Dien, Director of the National Children's Hospital, children with type 1 diabetes who maintain medication use will develop completely healthy physically and reproductively in the future. In the long term, these diseases will receive medical care and prescriptions right at the local level, instead of having to go to the Central level and few hospitals have this specialty for children.

Previously, in 2023, with the support of the Danish Embassy and partners, 520 children with type 1 diabetes in 15 hospitals were given personal blood glucose monitoring kits; 1,063 healthcare workers attended basic training courses on type 1 diabetes.

During 2024 - 2026, the partnership aims to support thousands of people under 25 years old living with type 1 diabetes with health monitoring and home blood glucose monitoring devices.

Currently, basic tests and medications to treat type 1 diabetes in children are covered by health insurance at 85 - 100% of benefits, depending on age group.

Immediately after the signing ceremony, this afternoon, the training course deployed the Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes issued by the Ministry of Health, meeting the urgent needs for examination and treatment of Type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents in the context of the increasing incidence of this disease.

Through training, diagnostic and treatment guidelines will be deployed to all medical facilities at all levels to support the practice of general practitioners and specialists, with the ultimate goal of early detection, timely diagnosis, treatment, and good control of type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is the destruction of pancreatic β cells, often due to autoimmune processes, leading to the loss of the ability to produce endogenous insulin. Insulin deficiency leads to lack of insulin activity on target tissues, causing metabolic disorders of sugar, fat... This is the most common type of diabetes in children and adolescents, but Vietnam does not have complete data. Diagnosis and treatment are currently facing many difficulties.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dai-thao-duong-tuyp-1-chiem-90-cac-ca-benh-dai-thao-duong-o-tre-em-185240624172833602.htm