Nghe An needs to continue screening children aged 9-12 months who have not been vaccinated against measles.

On the morning of February 20, the Ministry of Health's working group grasped the measles situation at Hung Dung Ward Health Station (one of the wards, communes and towns with the most measles patients in the province); inspected the treatment of measles patients at Vinh City General Hospital and Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital.

A working group from the Ministry of Health inspected measles treatment at Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. Photo: Quynh Trang

Informing the Working Group, Vinh City General Hospital said that from September 2018 to February 2019, the hospital received 242 measles patients. As for Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, the number of measles patients admitted from July 2018 to present is 1,185 patients... Both hospitals are doing a good job of treating measles patients, with no deaths.

Leaders of Nghe An Department of Health reported on measles prevention and vaccination activities in Nghe An. Photo: Thanh Hoa

In the afternoon of the same day, the Ministry of Health's working delegation had a working session with the Department of Health, the Provincial Center for Preventive Medicine and related units.

Reporting to the Delegation, the Department of Health informed that in January 2019, Nghe An had 314 cases of measles-like rash fever, mainly concentrated in Vinh city (167 cases), Dien Chau (46 cases). From February 1 to February 18, Nghe An recorded 137 more cases of rash fever suspected to be measles... The number of patients tended to decrease compared to the end of 2018.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Dac Phu - Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine requested the Nghe An health sector to do a good job of screening children of vaccination age. Photo: Quynh Trang

Speaking at the meeting, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Dac Phu - Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine highly appreciated Nghe An's measles prevention measures and suggested: Nghe An's Health Sector needs to continue to review subjects aged 9-12 months who have not been vaccinated against measles to organize vaccination and carry out Measles - Mumps - Rubella vaccination for the age group of 18-24 months.

Authorities need to strengthen the surveillance system, detect cases early to diagnose and handle outbreaks promptly; promote information and propaganda activities about the disease, do a good job of environmental sanitation as well as proactive measures to prevent measles in the community.

Hospitals and treatment facilities need to pay more attention to infection prevention and isolation, to avoid cross-infection between patients. In addition, attention should be paid to solutions to reduce overload at provincial hospitals so that treatment can be of higher quality./.