Air pollution is increasingly becoming a major public health challenge in Vietnam, leading to rising respiratory diseases, especially persistent coughing.
70,000 people in Vietnam die each year from air pollution.
Ms. Thu Hiền, an office worker living in Ho Chi Minh City, couldn’t hide her exhaustion: “For the past few months I’ve gone from dry coughs to phlegm, and my nose keeps running due to air allergy and fine dust. At home it’s better, but once I step outside, I start sneezing, wheezing, and my nose runs because the air is too polluted.”
Her condition is not an isolated case, it reflects an alarming public health situation in the context of worsening air pollution in Vietnam’s major cities.
According to reports from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, air quality in many areas currently exceeds safety thresholds, posing a serious threat to people’s health. Specifically, global air monitoring data from IQAir showed that at 8 AM on May 21, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Hanoi was 72 and in Ho Chi Minh City was 159, ranking 29th and 4th, respectively, among the 125 most polluted cities in the world.
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Associate Prof. Dr. Pharm. Bùi Thị Hương Quỳnh, Deputy Head of the Pharmacy Department at Thống Nhất Hospital, shared about the mechanism behind cough. Photo: Imexpharm
There are four main causes of air pollution in Vietnam today: traffic, industrial production, construction, and open burning of trash and agricultural by-products. In addition to these anthropogenic sources, temperature inversions and lack of wind are worsening pollution levels, especially in densely populated urban areas with high economic activity.
Exposure to air pollution can produce acute symptoms like coughing, sore throat, runny nose, and shortness of breath, and can worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. In the long term, air pollution increases the risk of stroke, cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). According to the World Health Organization’s 2024 report, at least 70,000 people in Vietnam die each year from air pollution, reducing average life expectancy by around 1.4 years.
Action solutions: From policy to corporate initiatives
Air pollution is no longer just an environmental issue; it has become a severe threat to public health and societal sustainable development. To address this effectively, a decisive and coordinated approach is needed - from policymaking to cross-sector collaboration and proactive individual actions to protect health and our living environment.
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Associate Prof. Dr. Pharm. Bùi Thị Hương Quỳnh (left), Pharmacist Huỳnh Ngọc Dương, (center), and Pharmacist Lâm Thị Ngọc Dung shared insights at the seminar “Common Coordination in Treating Coughs at Pharmacies. Photo: Imexpharm
At the 2021 United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26), the Vietnamese government pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. In support of this commitment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is finalizing its 2026–2030 National Action Plan for Pollution Control and Air Quality Management.
Aligned with global sustainability trends, many enterprises, especially in healthcare, are proactively embracing the climate challenge, adopting green solutions, clean materials, energy efficiency, and waste control measures. Among them, Imexpharm is leading the "greening" of its production and supply chain in accordance with international ESG standards. The company also prioritizes professional knowledge-sharing in the medical community through scientific conferences and specialized workshops.
In May 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City, Imexpharm organized a specialized workshop titled
“Phối hợp thường gặp trong điều trị ho tại nhà thuốc” (Common Coordination in Treating Coughs at Pharmacies), aimed at updating effective cough treatment solutions and enhancing patient compliance. The event featured experts such as Associate Prof. Dr. Pharm. Bùi Thị Hương Quỳnh, Deputy Head of Pharmacy Department, Thống Nhất Hospital, Pharmacist. Huỳnh Ngọc Dương, Specialist Level 1, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Pharmacists Association, and Pharmacist Lâm Thị Ngọc Dung Deputy Head of Marketing, Imexpharm, delivering practical insights informed by pharmacy experiences.
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Representatives of Imexpharm posing with healthcare experts at the workshop on common coordination in treating coughs at pharmacies. Photo: Imexpharm
The workshop also provided an opportunity to share proactive prevention strategies such as boosting immunity, proper mask usage, improving indoor air quality, and building healthy lifestyles.
Quick to adapt, Imexpharm now offers a diverse cough medicine portfolio, including single-ingredient cough suppressants and expectorants, as well as combination softgel capsules. Their softgel formula combines three active ingredients to relieve three symptoms—cough, phlegm, and throat irritation—in one easy-to-swallow, convenient capsule—especially suitable for community-based treatment and significantly improving patient adherence.
Imexpharm is not only focused on meeting current demands but is also intensifying investment in research and development (R&D), adopting advanced formulations and high-tech products such as first generics, biosimilars, and specialty drugs. This strategy reflects the company’s thorough preparation and long-term vision in the face of increasingly complex and evolving diseases, as well as rising healthcare costs.