Novartis, Pharmacity partner to improve healthcare for chronic patients

The PEACE project aims to improve healthcare for chronic patients. Photo by Novartis

The PEACE project aims to increase disease awareness in local communities, educate patients, strengthen Pharmacity's training for treatment and management of chronic illness, and build consultation capabilities among its pharmacists.

Also, this partnership is part of Novartis's commitment to improving healthcare standards by increasing pharmacists' consultancy capability and enhancing awareness of patients living with chronic diseases in Vietnam.

Chronic diseases are described by the World Health Organization as diseases of long duration and slow progress. They include non-communicable diseases like heart diseases, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes, which have remained the leading causes of death for more than 40 million people worldwide annually.

In Vietnam, according to the General Department of Preventive Medicine, it is estimated that there are about 12.5 million people with hypertension, 3.5 million people with diabetes, 2 million people with cardiovascular and lung diseases, and nearly 126,000 new cancer cases annually.

In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic changed patients' behavior in seeking and fulfilling treatment, the number of patients with chronic diseases that need follow-up treatment from drugs purchased at pharmacies at their own cost to improve treatment outcomes has been increasing drastically. However, patients with chronic diseases still have low awareness and there is a knowledge gap in treatment and care.

"With the responsibility to improve community health, we are delighted to see businesses and medical associations join hands for the goal of better healthcare conditions for patients with chronic diseases," Professor Nguyen Van Tri, chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Geriatrics Association, shared.

Rachel O'Neale, country Pharmaceutical Organization head, Novartis Vietnam, said: "Pharmacist consultation and patient disease awareness are most important for treatment compliance and long-term outcome for people with chronic diseases, which can help patients have a better experience and improve the quality of care in treatment. Furthermore, through the partnership, Novartis expects to reduce the burden on the healthcare system not only in terms of chronic diseases but also other aspects of people’s health."

Rachel O'Neale, country Pharmaceutical Organization head. Photo by Novartis

Established in 2011, Pharmacity is the leading pharmacy retail chain in Vietnam and provides Vietnamese with a convenient GPP certified pharmacy network with 1,000 stores nationwide and access to over 4,900 highly trusted pharmacists offering leading medical and wellness products at the most competitive price.

Pharmacity is targeting to build 5,000 stores nationwide in 2025, with the goal of 50 percent of people having a store within 10 minutes of their homes.

In addition, Pharmacity is strengthening its digital infrastructure to prepare for the rapid rollout of its ecommerce business by 2025. This ambitious plan will lead Pharmacity to a turnover of over $3 billion and create jobs for over 35,000 Vietnamese.

In early 2020, Novartis Vietnam Ltd. became the first multinational pharmaceutical company to transform into a foreign-invested enterprise and fully operationalize its import activities. Through long-term commitments Novartis is supporting the domestic healthcare system and contributing to socio-economic development of the country.

Novartis is a leader in innovative medicines across many therapeutic areas: oncology, cardiovascular (hypertension, heart failure, diabetes), respiratory (asthma, COPD, ); ophthalmology; pain relief; neuroscience, dermatology and immunology, cell and gene therapy... The company is also a leader in high quality generics and biosimilars through our Sandoz unit, and one of the largest investors in clinical trials in Vietnam.

Find out more at https://www.novartis.com.