Vietnamese see higher life expectancy, but with more non-communicable diseases
The life expectancy of Vietnamese has increased, but elderly people have to live with non-infectious diseases for a decade on average, according to the Ministry of Health. The ministry warned that since 2011, the population has entered the aging stage and is projected to become an aging society by 2036.
The average life expectancy of the Vietnamese population has surged to 74.5 years old from 65.6 since 1993, higher than many countries with the same per capita income, the Vietnam Government Portal reported. But the average number of years that women live with illness is about 11 years, while it is around eight years for men, according to the health ministry.
One alarming statistic is that the average lifespan is higher than the average healthy life expectancy, meaning that elderly people have to live with different diseases despite their longer lives.
Vinh Tho - Thu Hien
