Towards the development of Vietnam’s national dementia plan—the first step of action

Objective: To foster a national dialogue on addressing dementia as an emerging public health problem and formulating a strategy for developing Vietnam’s national dementia plan. Methods: In September 2018, the Vietnamese National Geriatric Hospital supported by University staff in Australia and the United States organised the first Vietnam National Dementia Conference in Hanoi. Results: Over 270 Vietnamese dementia stakeholders and international dementia experts participated in the conference. The participants agreed dementia was a public health priority in Vietnam and identified the need for the development of Vietnam’s national dementia plan. Policymakers supported positioning dementia as a priority in the national health agenda. Research institutions created collaboration to generate scientific information for policymaking process. Funding and international supports were obtained to develop Vietnam’s national dementia plan. Conclusion: Strong leadership, stakeholder engagement and international support are critical in raising awareness and advocating for the development of Vietnam’s national dementia plan.