The network of People Living with NCDs in Vietnam has launched "The Vietnam Advocacy Agenda for People living with NCDs for NCDs policies", which draws from the Our Views, Our Voices initiative. This Advocacy Agenda brings together the lived experiences of people living with NCDs and representatives from civil society organisations to identify the shared needs, challenges and priorities of people living with a range of NCDs in Vietnam and promote their meaningful involvement in Vietnam’s NCD response.

Over 170 people living with NCDs were involved in an online consultation and 3 community conversations between April and August 2020 to discuss their experiences of managing NCDs. The draft of the Vietnam Advocacy Agenda was finalised through a series of consultative workshops involving people living with NCDs and representatives of NCDs-VN.

On Tuesday 23 February 2021, NCDs-VN in collaboration with its network of people living with NCDs (PLWNCDs-VN) organised a multi-stakeholder workshop titled “Proposed Action Plan for People Living with NCDs Vietnam Network in the period of 2021 – 2025” to introduce the Vietnam Advocacy Agenda. During the workshop, the Head of Deputy of Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Health emphasised the rights of citizens to be protected and cared for and how people living with NCDs must be at the centre of the policy and law implemented on medical examination and treatment.

The Vietnam Advocacy Agenda amplifies the voices and recommendations put forward by people living with NCDs in the key areas of: human rights and social justice; prevention; treatment, care and support; and meaningful involvement. Among other priorities, the Vietnam Advocacy Agenda specifically highlights the need to regulate air pollution by appropriate health and environmental agencies, to strengthen prevention strategies and to ensure access to healthcare for all!