Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The World Health Organisation (WHO) has assessed the risk of a measles outbreak in Vietnam as very high and recommended large-scale vaccination campaigns in provinces and cities with high a🧔nd very high risk, as well a𒈔s in areas currently experiencing measles case clusters.
For provinces and cities with low and medium risk, WHO advised conducting reviews for catch-up vaccinations for children who missed doses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, Vietnam reported more than 45,550 suspected measles cases, including 7,583 confirmed infections and 16 deaths linked to the disease.
Approximately one-fourth of confirmed cases occurred in infants under nine months of age, a group not yet eligible for routine measles vaccination under national guidelines.
Health authorities noted that most cases involved unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children or those too young to receive the vaccine.
WHO emphasised that in countries with active measles transmission, the first dose of the measles vaccine should be administered at nine months, followed by a second dose for children aged 15 to 18 months.
During outbreaks, the agency recommends an additional supplementary dose for infants aged six to nine months to curb transmission. These early doses, WHO stressed, are safe and effective in protecting vulnerable infants during epidemics.
Since September 2024, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has rolled out measles vaccination campaigns for children aged 1–10 years across 31 provinces.
Seven provinces have completed the campaign's first phase, while 24 others continue efforts to administer initial and follow-up doses.
Looking ahead, the Ministry of Health has drafted a 2025 measles prevention plan targeting high-risk areas. Children aged six months to under nine months in 24 provinces with active outbreaks will be prioritised, alongside those aged 1 to 10 years in designated regions.
Healthcare workers treating measles patients who are not fully vaccinated will also be included.
The 2025 campaign will unfold in two phases. Phase 1 will cover provinces listed under Decisions No. 2495/QD-BYT and 3526/QD-BYT, while Phase 2 will expand to 17 more provinces, including Thai Binh, Ha Nam and Bac Giang.
Local authorities will determine specific age groups for vaccination based on outbreak severity and vaccine availability, according to the Ministry of Health./.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on November 14 urged ministries, agencies and localities to strengthen measles prevention and control measures, given an uptrend recorded in several localities.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) is considering proposing including a dengue vaccine in the expanded immunisation programme, offering it free of charge to the public.
Despite storm-related disruptions and flight delays, the organs were successfully transported via a combination of air and ground travel. All patients are currently stable and recovering well.
The patient, Tieu Viet But, born in 1970 and residing in Binh Tri commune, Binh Son district, the central province of Quang Ngai, was working aboard fishing vessel Qng – 95657TS when the incident occurred at 7:00 am.
All drugs entering hospitals must have a clear origin, so counterfeit drugs are only in the market, not in hospital, affirmed Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan.
To achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2045, Vietnam is prioritising the integration of AI and digital tools into the training of future doctors, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung, Dean of Medicine at University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University (VNU) Hanoi.
Health experts called for collective disease prevention and integrated solutions to achieve zero dengue deaths in the country at an online talk show on June 14.
The PM called for closer, broader, and more effective cooperation with Vietnamese partners, guided by the principles of mutual benefit, joint efforts, shared outcomes, and common development, including promoting stronger public-private partnerships and collaboration with businesses.
Renowned for its expertise in complex surgeries, the hospital has attracted foreign patients seeking treatment for conditions such as kidney and urinary tract stones, urological and gastrointestinal cancers, and male reproductive disorders. Most procedures are performed using advanced techniques, including laparoscopy and robotic surgery. T
Leading Vietnamese companies specialising in respiratory and dermatological treatments, traditional medicine, immune support supplements, and functional foods will have an opportunity to connect with international distributors and secure export deals.
The project aimed to enable early detection and reduce the risk of dangerous complications, targeting patients with chronic diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and metabolic disorders.
A 2023 report by the Vietnam Health Economics Association estimated that the total cost of tobacco-related healthcare and economic losses reached 108 trillion VND (4.14 billion USD) annually – equivalent to 1.14% of GDP and five times higher than the budget revenue generated by the tobacco industry.
All eligible patients will receive surgical interventions and post-operative care in accordance with Vietnamese medical standards and global care protocols.
Medical screenings and surgical interventions for children with disabilities are being carried out at health centers across Dien Bien. So far this year, 242 children have been identified for diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and the provision of assistive devices.
The Red Journey has become the country’s largest and most effective blood donation campaign, leaving a strong impression on the national voluntary blood donation movement.
This case marks the ninth fetal cardiac intervention conducted in HCM City, and it was considered the most technically demanding to date due to the fetus’s extremely early gestational age and the severity of the condition as diagnosed with aortic atresia.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place one day after the VNVC Vaccine JS Company and Sanofi Group exchanged cooperation documents on vaccine production technology transfer under the witness of State President Luong Cuong and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Vietnam’s traditional medicine took centre stage at the International Congress Biopharm Nonclinical Development, BioNCiD 2025, held on May 25-26 in the Cuban city of Varadero, amid growing global interest in sustainable healthcare solutions.
Under the agreement, VNVC and Sanofi will gradually implement technology transfers to enable domestic production of several key Sanofi vaccines that are widely used in Vietnam. In addition, Sanofi will support VNVC in training human resources and quality management in vaccine research and manufacturing.
Despite the ongoing global circulation and unpredictable developments of SARS-CoV-2, the World Health Organisation (WHO) hasn’t issued new warnings about COVID-19, said the Ministry of Health.
