Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued Official Dispatch No 23/CĐ-TTg requesting acceleration of vaccination against measles as the number of cases is on the rise.

The PM asked the Minister of Health (MoH) to direct and support localities to promote measles vaccination campaign and complete it no later than the end of this month.

The health sector must ensure sufficient measles vaccines and timely distribution to localities.

The MoH has directed medical facilities to strictly receive and treat patients with measles and suspected cases, coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to ensure adequate and timely funding for the measles vaccination campaign.

Provinces and cities must urgently assess the measles situation in the locality to have a proper plan according to the MoH’s instructions.
Relevant parties effectively implement the expanded immunisation programmes and catch-up vaccination for people who have not been vaccinated or have not been fully vaccinated.

Authorities should strengthen communication and education for the people, especially in remote, border, island and ethnic group areas, to proactively prevent and control measles.

The Minister of Education and Training should direct educational institutions to conduct preventive measures following the health sector’s guidance.

Schools must supervise students’ health, notify medical facilities when detecting suspected cases of measles for timely quarantine and treatment, and ask parents to take their children for full and timely vaccination.

Press agencies will provide regular, complete and accurate information on the epidemic situation and expand communication on the issue.

Deputy PM Le Thanh Long directly monitors and handles problems within his authority and reports to the PM for issues beyond his scope.

The Government Office will coordinate with the MoH to realise the official dispatch and promptly report to PM Chinh any problems and difficulties during the implementation process.

Vietnam has recorded nearly 40,000 suspected measles cases and five measles-related deaths since the beginning of this year.

The MoH believed that the number of suspected measles cases will continue to increase nationwide.

In particular, high-risk areas such as mountainous provinces, where many ethnic groups live, have limited access to health services, and localities with low vaccination rates are the most susceptible to outbreaks.

To tackle the issue, the ministry organised a national conference on measles prevention and control on March 15 afternoon. The conference took place in person and online, connecting the MoH with concerned units nationwide.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that climate change and seasonal changes make the epidemic situation increasingly complicated and unpredictable.

She requested local areas to closely monitor and promptly report the situation. In addition, it is necessary to call for the participation of all levels and sectors, not just the health sector.

At the same time, localities should prepare facilities, equipment and medical supplies, especially in high-risk areas.

Hoang Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Disease Prevention under the MoH, said that the southern region recorded the highest number of cases (57%), the central region accounted for 19.2%, the north 15.1%, and the Central Highlands 8.7%.

Provinces and cities with increasing number of cases include Cao Bang (582), Nghe An (737), Quang Nam (499), Da Nang (2,043), Khanh Hoa (1,661), Dak Lak (621), Gia Lai (1,879), Kon Tum (624), Dong Thap (1,202), An Giang (1,046) and Lam Dong (476).

The suspected measles cases are mainly in children from nine months to under 15 years old with 72.7%, while the rate of infection in children under nine months old is 15.3%.

Duc assessed that the current measles vaccination rate nationwide was still low, and community immunity did n𒐪ot reach the needed level. In some provinces, the vaccination rate was only 40%./.