Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has requested ministries, sectors, and localities to strengthen measures to prevent and control diphtheria, given the occurrence of several infected cases and one death.

The Vietnam – Cambodia Friendship Association in Dak Nong has well performed its role in connecting the Central Highlands province with Cambodia’s Mondulkiri province in politic, economic and social matters, as heard the association’s congress held on January 20.

Vaccinations must take place safely and effectively, particularly in remote disadvantaged areas where vaccination coverage remained modest, Deputy Health Minister Do Xuan Tuyen said on September 21.

The number of people hospitalised in Ho Chi Minh City with contagious diseases this year has sharply increased compared with the same period a year ago, according to the city’s Preventive Medicine Centre.

Local authorities in southern Binh Phuoc province announced on November 1 that the province had eliminated an outbreak of diphtheria on the district-level.

Many health facilities in HCM City have run out of flu vaccines at a time when the peak influenza season is arriving.

Vietnam has been free of polio since 2000 and tetanus at birth since 2005 thanks to locally-made vaccines that have been used in the nationwide expanded immunisation programme.