Simultaneously deploy activities to prevent measles outbreaks and spread

Recently, Dak Lak province has continuously recorded 4 children with measles, bringing the total number of measles patients since the beginning of 2024 to 5 people. In order to prevent the spread of measles, the provincial health sector is actively implementing a series of activities to prevent measles from breaking out and spreading.

Accordingly, 5 cases of measles were recorded in the districts of Cu Kuin, Buon Don, Krong Buk and Buon Ma Thuot City. Among them, 3 children were not vaccinated. Currently, the health sector is investigating and reviewing statistics of all subjects under 5 years old who have not been vaccinated, have not received enough doses or have an unknown history of vaccination against measles and measles-rubella; planning, estimating vaccines and organizing well the activities of catch-up vaccination and vaccination for these subjects.

Medical staff investigate and monitor a measles outbreak in Cu Kuin district (Photo: Dak Lak Department of Health).

According to the Dak Lak Provincial Department of Health, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected efforts to monitor infectious diseases and immunization in general and measles in particular. The disruption of immunization services and reduced vaccination coverage globally has left millions of children vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles, leading to a high risk of global measles outbreaks, and especially unvaccinated children who may get sick and die from measles.

Faced with the complicated developments of the measles epidemic nationwide, the Dak Lak Provincial Health Department has assessed the epidemic risk in the entire province according to the "Measles Epidemic Risk Assessment Toolkit developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to support the identification of existing gaps" at a high risk level.

The Provincial Department of Health has developed a Plan for the prevention and control of Measles and Rubella epidemics in the whole province in 2024 with the goal of reducing the morbidity/mortality rate due to Measles and Rubella; increasing the vaccination rate to reach the community immunity threshold and early detection, localization, and timely handling of outbreaks, minimizing the spread of the epidemic.

Conduct a review to ensure no vaccination subjects are left behind (Illustration photo).

This includes intensifying efforts to reduce the measles incidence rate to <5/100,000 population; ensuring that ≥ 95% of children under 5 years old receive all doses of measles and measles-rubella vaccines; and promptly implementing and thoroughly handling 100% of newly arising measles and rubella cases at the commune, ward, and town levels according to regulations…

To effectively prevent and control measles, the Steering Committee for epidemic prevention and control at all levels has been strengthened, direction has been strengthened and coordination and cooperation between the health sector and related sectors have been established; at the same time, specific tasks have been assigned to units. Communication work has also been promoted widely in the community about measles and rubella, how to recognize and prevent them, such as improving the body's resistance so that people clearly see the importance of vaccination as the most important disease prevention measure. At the same time, screening subjects of vaccination age in all communes, wards and towns has been conducted; mobile vaccination points have been organized, and supplementary vaccinations have been organized for children under 5 years old who have not been vaccinated or have not received enough doses of measles and measles-rubella vaccine; ensuring that no subjects are left out of vaccination, especially in remote, isolated and disadvantaged areas, and that areas with low vaccination rates do not exist...

Source: https://daklak.gov.vn/-/trien-khai-ong-loat-cac-hoat-ong-nham-khong-e-dich-soi-bung-phat-va-lan-rong