Vietnam May Have over 6M People Affected by Rare Diseases

Vietnam may have more than six million people living with rare diseases, state media reported based on the WHO’s estimation that one out of 15 persons worldwide could be affected by a rare disease. Currently, Vietnam has around 100 identified rare diseases, the National Pediatric Hospital (NPH) estimated. It is estimated that 35% of children die before one year of age and 30% of children die before the age of five from rare diseases without timely diagnosis and treatment, said Dr. Vu Chi Dung, head of the NPH-run Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Genetics. (Vietnam Plus, Vietnam Plus)