Vietnam responds urgently to the risk of polio virus entering the country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that polio is on the rise in the region and the risk of the virus entering Vietnam is very high, as the disease has re-emerged in Laos after many years of absence.

At the national online conference on polio prevention on December 12th, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong stated that over 95% of children in Vietnam have been vaccinated against polio and no cases have been recorded in recent years; the WHO recognized Vietnam as polio-free since 2000. However, given the complex situation in Laos – where three positive cases have been recorded since August and a nationwide outbreak has been declared – the WHO assesses the risk of the disease entering Vietnam as present and very high.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong speaks at the meeting.

Following the WHO's warning, the Ministry of Health has directed its units to: strengthen surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis cases, promote routine immunization to maintain and improve immunity rates in the community, assess risks, and enhance testing capacity.

A WHO representative stated that the risk of international spread of polio virus continues to be classified as a global health emergency; many areas, even those that have eradicated polio, are still affected by outbreaks due to genetically modified strains of the virus.

In Vietnam, the WHO warns of an immunity gap, as vaccination rates have not met targets, flaccid paralysis surveillance is inadequate, and environmental surveillance has been suspended since December 2023.

The Ministry of Health held an emergency meeting to implement response measures in the face of the risk of polio outbreaks.

Therefore, the WHO recommends that Vietnam implement disease response measures such as: urgently launching a supplementary polio vaccination campaign using bOPV vaccine in high-risk provinces and strengthening catch-up and supplementary vaccinations in other provinces. Simultaneously, a nationwide polio preparedness and response plan should be developed, including vaccination, surveillance, and testing; 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 of age 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, and environmental surveillance; strengthen cross-border coordination with Laos and cooperate with global partners to proactively prevent disease and share information in a timely manner.

KHANH NGUYEN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/viet-nam-ung-pho-khan-cap-truoc-nguy-co-virus-bai-liet-xam-nhap-post828302.html