Vietnam Ranks Fourth Globally in Self-Care Readiness, Study Finds

Vietnam is emerging as a leader in self-care readiness, according to a new study that positions the country fourth globally. This development holds significant potential for easing the immense pressure on the region's often overstretched healthcare services.

The "Vietnam's Self-Care Readiness Study," a collaboration between the Health Strategy and Policy Institute under the Ministry of Health and the global consumer healthcare company Opella, provides a comprehensive look at Vietnam's healthcare landscape. It evaluated the nation's health system, regulatory environment, and the public's capacity for self-care, considering factors like health literacy, access to digital health tools, and the availability of quality over-the-counter medicines.

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This study marks an important milestone, offering for the first time in Vietnam a systematic view of the needs and barriers people face on their self-care journey.

This finding places Vietnam alongside nations like Singapore, Australia, and Germany, signaling a strategic move towards integrating self-care practices into national health strategies in Southeast Asia. Ms. Maria Valentina Sposito, zone general manager for Southeast Asia at Opella, noted that the report offers a systematic view of the needs and barriers individuals face in their self-care journeys.

The study's insights are particularly timely given the escalating strain on healthcare systems across Asia. With rapidly aging populations and a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases, self-care offers a vital approach to managing common ailments responsibly. This allows healthcare professionals to focus on more complex cases, thereby optimizing resource allocation and improving overall health outcomes in the region.

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For nearly 700 million people in ASEAN, a greater emphasis on self-care could reshape how care is accessed and experienced.