Healthcare services for people with dementia in Vietnam: A situational analysis

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundVietnam is facing rapid population ageing, with one in four Vietnamese citizens being over 60 years old by 2050. This has contributed to a boom of chronic and non‐communicable diseases, such as dementia. In order to develop a national dementia plan as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and increase the preparedness of the healthcare system to tackle dementia, a situational analysis of the current healthcare services related to dementia is needed.MethodIn late 2019, we conducted a situational analysis desk review of the healthcare system in Vietnam, focusing on health service delivery for the elderly, using the guidance developed by the Strengthening Responses to Dementia In Developing Countries (STRiDE) project. The WHO’s six‐building‐block framework was used to analyse the healthcare system in Vietnam, followed by the thematic and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analyses of dementia‐related healthcare services.ResultAlthough Vietnam has achieved significant improvement in healthcare in general, there are still inefficiencies in health service delivery. There are also discrepancies in health service readiness and quality across areas of healthcare. Despite of extensive primary healthcare system, grassroots‐level facilities have inadequate infrastructure required for basic care delivery and none for dementia. There are few healthcare facilities at central and provincial levels, mainly located in the three biggest cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Danang, providing services for people with dementia. There is limited training in dementia diagnosis and management for health professionals.ConclusionDeveloping a national dementia plan, including transforming the current healthcare services to better cope with rapid population ageing and dementia disease is urgently needed in Vietnam. Integrating dementia services into existing health and social services for the elderly and the disabled, making use of the extensive primary healthcare system in detection, early interventions, management and support for people with dementia at community level are strategic solutions to deal with dementia in a sustainable way. To this end, a whole‐system approach in transformation and operation with implementing a patient centred care model is necessary.