With the risk of polio virus entering the country, how is Vietnam responding?

Given that Laos has declared a nationwide polio outbreak, today (December 12), the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization held an online meeting with local authorities, urgently requesting a response to the risk of polio entering the country...

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, Deputy Minister of Health , chaired the conference. The conference was attended by representatives from several relevant departments and divisions of the Ministry of Health; representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) and several international organizations in Vietnam; and health departments from 34 provinces and cities nationwide.

The risk of polio entering Vietnam is very high and imminent.

According to Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, over 95% of children in Vietnam have been vaccinated against polio for many years. Vietnam has not recorded any cases of polio and was recognized by the WHO as having eradicated polio nationwide in 2000.

However, following developments in the polio situation in Laos, where one case tested positive for vaccine-derived polio virus type 1 (VDPV1) in late August and two more positive cases were recorded among 28 healthy children in early October 2025, Laos declared a nationwide polio epidemic on October 17th.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, Deputy Minister of Health, chaired the conference.

The WHO considers the outbreak in Laos a regional outbreak and recommends that countries sharing borders with Laos implement coordinated response measures. The organization also warns that the risk of polio entering Vietnam is very high and imminent.

Following WHO warnings about polio in the region and around the world , which increase the risk of polio virus entering Vietnam and the potential resurgence of the disease after years of being recognized as eradicated by the organization, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong stated that the Ministry has urgently directed relevant units to strengthen surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis cases, increase regular vaccination to maintain and improve immunity rates in the community, assess risks, and enhance testing capacity…

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Lien Huong affirmed the determination of the entire health sector in controlling and preventing the risk of polio re-emergence, protecting the health of the people, especially children.

Vietnam proactively responds

A WHO representative stated that Vietnam has eliminated polio for 25 years, but this is not enough to guarantee that the risk of polio re-emergence is eliminated. A concerning point is that, although many regions around the world have been declared polio-free, genetically modified strains of the polio virus have recently emerged.

Currently, three countries in the Western Pacific region have reported this strain of the virus: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Laos. When a case of polio is reported or an outbreak is identified, the response process becomes extremely complex, requiring coordination at the national, regional, and international levels.

A view of the Ministry of Health's location during the videoconference.

Furthermore, the entire process of responding to, monitoring, and waiting for the epidemic to be officially declared over takes years. This means that resources in terms of personnel, funding, and professional activities will have to increase many times over; therefore, strengthening the vaccination, monitoring, and testing systems at this stage is extremely urgent.

In Vietnam specifically, the organization warns of an immunity gap due to the polio vaccination rate not meeting targets, the acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system failing to meet targets in recent years, and environmental monitoring having been suspended since December 2023.

To address this risk, the Ministry of Health has issued several urgent directives, requiring localities to urgently review vaccination history and organize catch-up/supplementary polio vaccination (IPV, bOPV) for cases that have not received oral/injectable polio vaccine or have not received the full dose, especially in high-risk areas. Regular vaccination should be strengthened to ensure safety and effectiveness...

The risk of international spread of polio virus remains a global health emergency.

At the meeting, the WHO representative in Vietnam stated that the 43rd meeting of the Emergency Committee on Polio under the International Health Regulations, convened by the WHO Director-General in October 2025, concluded that the risk of international spread of this virus continues to be a global health emergency.

Information about polio.

The WHO recommends that Vietnam respond to the epidemic using a regional approach. Specifically, it suggests urgently implementing a supplementary bOPV vaccination campaign in high-risk provinces and strengthening catch-up and supplementary bOPV/IPV vaccinations in other provinces.

Simultaneously, a nationwide polio preparedness and response plan should be developed, including vaccination, surveillance, and testing. Furthermore, suspected cases should be reviewed every 1-2 weeks, and samples should be taken from all cases of flaccid paralysis in children under 15 years old for testing…

In addition, it is necessary to restore environmental monitoring points in the North and expand them to high-risk areas; ensure sufficient testing supplies for monitoring and testing of the environment.

Strengthen cross-border coordination with Laos and cooperate with global partners to proactively prevent disease; share information promptly with the WHO and the Global Polio Network to receive timely support for the country and the region.

In order to protect and maintain the achievements in polio eradication, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lien Huong proposed that the People's Committees of provinces and cities and relevant units focus on implementing comprehensive polio prevention and control measures, especially in communes bordering Laos. They should proactively and effectively exchange and update information on the polio epidemic situation with their counterparts, and coordinate the effective implementation of disease prevention and control measures. Furthermore, they should intensify propaganda and communication activities to ensure that people understand and proactively implement polio prevention and control measures.

Provincial and city health departments will implement the Plan to respond to the risk of polio entry and spread in the 2025-2026 period and review and organize polio vaccination.

Departments, Bureaus, Offices of the Ministry of Health, Institutes of Epidemiology and Hygiene, Pasteur Institute, and hospitals should strengthen management and supervision, develop plans for admission and treatment, coordinate guidance, and enhance polio surveillance activities in accordance with the Ministry of Health's guidelines.

The locations involved are participating in the online meeting.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Lien Huong also requested the WHO and UNICEF to continue supporting, updating, and sharing information with the Ministry of Health regarding the global polio situation and response activities, and to promote partner support to minimize the risk of polio re-entry and protect the achievements of polio eradication in Vietnam.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/nguy-co-virus-bai-liet-xam-nhap-hien-huu-viet-nam-ung-pho-the-nao-169251212184256624.htm