Strengthen the expanded immunization program and disease prevention and control.

This afternoon, April 10th, the Ministry of Health held a nationwide online conference on strengthening disease prevention and control. Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Hoang Nam, attended from the Quang Tri branch.

Delegates attending the conference at the Quang Tri branch - Photo: Provided

Currently, the global infectious disease situation is complex. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination rates for children have been affected in recent years. Recently, the World Health Organization issued a warning about the increasing number of measles cases and the risk of measles outbreaks in many regions worldwide. In some countries, cases of whooping cough and dengue fever are also on the rise.

In Vietnam, with the involvement of all levels, sectors, and specialized agencies, dengue fever prevention and control efforts have achieved positive results in recent times. The prevalence of infectious diseases remains largely under control. However, it is noteworthy that despite the availability of vaccines, some diseases are still appearing sporadically and are beginning to show an increasing trend. According to reports from the Ministry of Health, cases of measles have been recorded in many localities such as Ha Tinh, Son La, Ca Mau, Binh Thuan, Thanh Hoa, etc. Pertussis (whooping cough) has now emerged in Nghe An, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other areas.

Several endemic diseases continue to record high numbers of cases, such as hand, foot, and mouth disease, which increased 2.1 times compared to the same period in 2023. Every year, dengue fever continues to have a high number of cases, with hundreds of thousands of infections and dozens of deaths. Several deaths due to influenza A/H5N1 and A/H9N2 have also been recorded.

According to the Ministry of Health, during the current transitional season, the unpredictable weather creates favorable conditions for the development of pathogens, and the risk of disease entry and spread is always present, especially in the context of increased trade and tourism. The risk of an increase in infectious diseases is very high, with unpredictable developments and the potential for large-scale outbreaks. Therefore, strengthening disease prevention and control is absolutely essential.

At the conference, delegates provided information on the epidemic situation and the difficulties and challenges in epidemic prevention and control, thereby sharing lessons learned and solutions to proactively control the epidemic, protect people's health, and ensure national health security.

Some proposed solutions include: mobilizing the participation of departments, agencies, mass organizations, and socio-political organizations in the prevention and control of infectious diseases; enhancing the effectiveness of information and communication to advise and guide people in implementing personal preventive measures and changing behaviors to improve health and prevent disease; and implementing effective professional measures for disease prevention and control...

Speaking at the conference, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan affirmed that what is needed now is more decisive and proactive solutions to strengthen the expanded immunization program and disease prevention and control efforts.

For the time being, it is requested that the health departments of provinces and cities proactively advise the Provincial People's Committees on the implementation of the infectious disease prevention and control plan for 2024; closely monitor the disease situation in their areas; strengthen catch-up and supplementary vaccinations, linking disease surveillance with prevention and treatment; review and assess vaccination targets, and promptly propose the number of vaccines still needed; report to the Provincial People's Committees to allocate local budget for preventive health activities; and promote the role and responsibility of leaders in disease prevention and control...

Tay Long

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