More than 368,000 children have been safely vaccinated against measles and rubella.

Professor Nguyen Tran Hien, Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said that as of September 29, the measles-rubella vaccination campaign has been carried out in 15 provinces and cities, with a total of more than 368,000 children safely vaccinated.

Mr. Hien said so at a media conference on the measles-Rubella combined vaccination campaign held on September 30 in Hanoi.

Medical staff vaccinate children. Photo: VNA

In the recent period, more than 11,300 children had their vaccinations postponed or had contraindications for postponing vaccination, accounting for (3%). Notably, among the children who had been vaccinated, only 210 cases had mild reactions and mild fever, but no cases had severe reactions that required hospitalization.

According to the representative of the National Expanded Immunization Program, at the measles-Rubella vaccination sites, all vaccination safety procedures such as consultation, screening, vaccination and monitoring of post-vaccination reactions were fully implemented, and there were no cases of post-vaccination complications.

For children who have not been vaccinated or have had their vaccinations postponed, districts will organize full vaccination, ensuring the rate of 95% according to the campaign's planned target.

The campaign to vaccinate 23 million children aged 1-14 against measles-rubella is free of charge at vaccination points in schools or health stations in communes, wards and towns.

According to the plan, the first phase will be for children aged 1-5 (from September to October 2014); the second phase will be for children aged 6-10 (from November to December 2014) and the third phase will be for children aged 11-14 (from January to February 2015).

Measles and Rubella are common infectious diseases that can cause epidemics in children with a large number of infected people, high mortality rates and severe sequelae for patients.

The World Health Organization recommends that countries with the first measles vaccination rate of over 80% should use the combined measles-rubella vaccine in routine immunization to simultaneously control rubella and measles and increase the effectiveness of vaccination.

According to Vietnam+