Filling immunity gaps with proactive vaccination campaigns.

HPV vaccination prevents dangerous cancers (cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal, pharyngeal, and oral) and genital warts (condyloma acuminata).

According to Dr. Duong Chi Nam, Deputy Director of the Department of Disease Prevention, Ministry of Health , the Law on Disease Prevention 2025, which was passed by the National Assembly on December 10, 2025, has added several new provisions compared to the current regulations on vaccination.

The recently passed Law on Disease Prevention clearly outlines two forms of vaccination: "Compulsory vaccination" and "Voluntary vaccination". Accordingly, the Expanded Immunization Program includes routine vaccination, catch-up vaccination, proactive campaign vaccination, and other vaccination organization methods as decided by the Ministry of Health .

This is an important legal regulation to enable units and localities to organize and implement appropriate campaigns for more timely and effective disease prevention in the future. This will help overcome the decline in community immunity over time, even when routine vaccination rates reach 90-95%.

Mr. Nam cited the following example: Previously, we relied primarily on regular expanded immunization programs. However, with diseases like measles, even with 90-95% vaccination rates, there are still immunity gaps, so there is a risk of outbreaks every 5 years or so. Campaign-based immunization is necessary to fill these immunity gaps.

Previously, the old law did not stipulate proactive vaccination campaigns, so each vaccination campaign required state approval and depended on donors; there was no clear procurement mechanism. The law clearly stipulates that the State will allocate funds and proactively implement vaccination campaigns when it assesses that community immunity is problematic. By June, when the Decree guiding the Law is finalized, the health sector will have a legal framework to implement it.

The regulation stating that "Citizens have the right to equitable access to vaccines and biological products according to age and category throughout their lives to protect themselves and the community" aims to institutionalize Resolution 72 of the Central Committee.

According to Mr. Nam, all vaccines in the current Expanded Immunization Program are primarily for children and pregnant women. The new law allows the Government and the Ministry of Health to expand the target groups and types of vaccines included in the Expanded Immunization Program, including influenza, HPV, and pneumococcal vaccines.

In the coming period, several new vaccines will be researched, evaluated, and gradually incorporated into the program. After the Decree guiding the implementation of the Law on Disease Prevention is issued, targeted programs will coordinate with funding organizations to conduct trials.

“Currently, some vaccines are being rolled out on a small scale in a few provinces, depending on budget availability. We will roll out vaccines that prove effective in the community on a larger scale. The government will provide financial support for the entire population or for certain priority groups, such as influenza, HPV, and pneumococcal vaccines,” Mr. Nam said.

According to projections, the pneumococcal vaccine will be implemented in the Expanded Immunization Program from January-February onwards; HPV from 2026; and the influenza vaccine from 2030. The scale and number of target groups will be determined based on data from the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

One of the vaccines that many families are currently interested in is the HPV vaccine, due to the high cost of private vaccination services. Recently, the Ministry of Health approved the third phase of the Expanded Immunization Program (2026-2028). Accordingly, each year, 4 to 5 provinces will implement free HPV vaccination for girls, prioritizing mountainous areas, disadvantaged regions, and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities. The inclusion of this vaccine is very valuable in preventing dangerous cancers (cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal, pharyngeal, and oral) and genital warts (condyloma acuminata).

According to Dr. Le Thanh Khoi, Head of the Medical Professional Council of Long Chau Pharmacy and Vaccination Center, there are currently two types of HPV vaccines. One is a four-strain vaccine that protects against four HPV types: 6, 11, 16, and 18. Types 16 and 18 cause approximately 70% of cervical cancer cases, while types 6 and 11 cause 90% of genital warts cases.

The 9-strain vaccine provides protection against 9 HPV types: 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58, with the additional types 31, 33, 52, and 58 protecting against approximately 20% of remaining cervical cancer cases.

HPV vaccines have been used in Vietnam since before 2010; however, the HPV vaccination rate in Vietnam remains low. A 2021 study showed that only 12% of women and girls aged 15-29 had been vaccinated. Another study in 2016 in Ho Chi Minh City recorded this rate at 10.45%. Meanwhile, according to health experts, early vaccination (before age 15) is significantly more effective than vaccination at an older age.

Australia has implemented the HPV vaccine early and with high coverage, making its effectiveness considered the most significant in the world. Here, 85.9% of girls and 83.4% of boys have received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine before the age of 15. Australia is also currently the first country in the world predicted to eradicate cervical cancer by 2035 thanks to vaccination, particularly school-based vaccinations for teenagers aged 12-13.

In Europe, countries that implemented early HPV vaccination have seen a significant reduction in precancerous lesions in vaccinated groups, along with a sharp decrease in the prevalence of HPV types 16 and 18 in the community. Some countries have also shown a downward trend in cervical cancer among younger age groups, particularly those who received vaccinations during their school years.

Mr. Nam emphasized that the implementation of several new vaccines into the Expanded Immunization Program will be carried out in stages, starting on a small scale and targeting specific groups. The law clearly defines that immunization today is not only about administering vaccines but also about introducing biological products into the human body to prevent disease.

The new law also stipulates that the "Information System on Disease Prevention" includes information on "vaccination"; it adds regulations on "reviewing vaccination history" during health checks at the beginning of the school year. At the same time, it requires vaccination facilities to be responsible for providing information and reporting on vaccination activities as prescribed by the Ministry of Health.

THIEN LAM

Source: https://nhandan.vn/lap-day-khoang-trong-mien-dich-with-chien-dich-tiem-chung-chu-dong-post929743.html