Inspecting the expanded immunization program in Nghe An.

(Baonghean.vn) - To improve vaccination efforts and ensure children receive complete, timely, safe, and effective vaccinations, on April 7th, in Vinh City, a delegation led by Professor – Doctor Nguyen Tran Hien – Head of the National Vaccination Committee and former Director of the Central Institute of Epidemiology, held a working session with the Nghe An Health Department to inspect and evaluate vaccination work in the province.

Professor Nguyen Tran Hien speaks at the working session.

The delegation heard a report on the situation of expanded immunization work in Nghe An. In 2014, the Health sector organized two measles vaccination campaigns on a province-wide scale and in high-risk areas for children aged 9 months to 10 years, with 76,337 out of 79,501 children vaccinated, using 89,000 doses of vaccine; the measles-rubella vaccination campaign for children aged 1-14 years was implemented from October 2014 to February 2015, with 687,659 out of 702,514 children vaccinated, using 771,400 doses of vaccine.

Dr. Bui Dinh Long, Director of the Department of Health, delivered a speech at the working session.

Public awareness campaigns have been intensified through mass media such as newspapers and television, training sessions, banner and slogan displays, and direct communication within communities. However, this work still faces difficulties due to the fact that 50% of the districts are mountainous (including 6 high-altitude mountainous districts bordering Laos), with rugged terrain and remote roads, making it difficult for staff to carry out expanded immunization programs at all levels; funding, supplies, and equipment are still lacking, affecting the effectiveness of the program.

After hearing the report and conclusions at the meeting, Professor Nguyen Tran Hien acknowledged the achievements in the expanded immunization program that the Nghe An health sector has achieved in the past. He also emphasized and pointed out the difficulties that the Nghe An health sector needs to address in the future, namely: the need to complete the regulatory documents; stricter monitoring of preventive medicine in difficult, remote, and rural areas; strengthening technical supervision at vaccination sites; reviewing and licensing facilities that meet the standards of the Ministry of Health; and striving for 100% vaccination coverage for children of the correct age, ensuring no eligible individuals are missed.

Intensify efforts to educate mothers with young children about the importance of getting their children vaccinated against measles (first dose at 9 months old and second dose at 18 months old) as part of the immunization program, without waiting for private vaccination services. Afterward, children can receive rubella and mumps vaccinations at appropriate times. It is especially important to note that the measles vaccine used in the immunization program is manufactured in Vietnam using Japanese technology, ensuring safety and high effectiveness.

Thuy Hien - Thanh Hoa

Provincial Center for Health Information and Education