Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long says non-infectious diseases claim the lives of about 400,000 Vietnamese people each year.

His statement came at a conference to discuss the prevention and control of non-infectious diseases held in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday.

Despite efforts by the Health Ministry in controlling non-infectious diseases such as cancer and high blood pressure, Long said the number of sufferers had reached alarming levels.

As many as 70 per cent of deaths each year are caused by non-infectious diseases, and of those deaths 40 percent of them happened to people under 70 years old.

The ministry has set a target of decreasing the rate of deaths caused by non-infectious diseases to 20 percent by 2025.

It also aims to reduce smoking rates by 30 percent, alcohol use by 10 per cent, and high salt intake by 30 percent.