Nghe An promotes measles vaccination campaign to prevent epidemics
The total number of children in the four groups who will continue to receive measles vaccinations this time is 58,526.
Increase vaccine coverage to prevent and control measles
From the beginning of 2025 to now,Nghe An1,210 cases of rash fever suspected of measles have been recorded in 20/21 localities. Of which, rash fever cases suspected of measles are concentrated in Ky Son district (585 cases), Tuong Duong district (130 cases) and Vinh city (207 cases; appearing sporadically in the area).
Nghe An Health Department stated: The occurrence of many measles cases is due to the low vaccination rate in some mountainous districts, so measles epidemics still have the potential to break out. Although some localities have a high vaccination rate of 95%, there are still 5% who are not vaccinated, accumulating each year, creating an immunity gap. The vaccination rate in some localities does not meet the requirements at the commune level.
Measles has experienced large epidemics, with cycles of about 5 years due to the accumulation of subjects without immunity to measles in the community.
In the past, most children got measles. Widespread vaccination against measles over many years has successfully controlled measles.
To prevent outbreaks, vaccination coverage of ≥ 95% with 02 doses of measles vaccine in the community is required.
Through epidemiological investigation and analysis, on February 27, 2025, Nghe An Department of Health issued Plan No. 646/KH-SYT on implementing the vaccination campaign to preventpandemicMeasles for children from 6 months to under 9 months old in Nghe An province in 2025. (Children from 6 months to under 9 months old are subjects who have not been vaccinated against measles in the expanded immunization program).
The plan sets a target of 95% of children from 6 months to under 9 months old in Nghe An (including transient subjects) to receive 1 dose of measles vaccine. The implementation period is from March 3, 2025 to March 31, 2025. The estimated number of children from 6 months to under 9 months old who need to be vaccinated is 11,968.
Implementing Plan No. 646/KH-SYT, from March 6, 2025, districts, cities and towns in the province have started to vaccinate children from 6 months to under 9 months old against measles. As of March 18, 2025, 18/21 localities have deployed vaccination; the total number of vaccinated children is 4,282 (reaching 35.7%). There are 3 localities that have not yet deployed vaccination: Con Cuong district, Do Luong district and Vinh city (started vaccination on March 20, 2025).
According to the assessment of Nghe An Department of Health: The progress of measles vaccination for children from 6 months to under 9 months old is still slow and does not meet the requirements. It is necessary to speed up the progress of measles vaccination for these subjects; absolutely must not miss any subjects.
Continue to vaccinate 58,526 children against measles
Not only Nghe An, many other provinces and cities across the country are also facing measles epidemics. Since the beginning of the year, the whole country has recorded 38,807 suspected measles cases in 63 provinces and cities. Of which, 3,447 cases tested positive for measles in 61 provinces and cities; 05 deaths related to measles.
On March 18, 2025 and March 19, 2025, the Ministry of Health issued Decision No. 905/QD-BYT, Decision No. 906/QD-BYT and Decision 909/QD-BYT to implement a measles vaccination campaign for children aged 1-10 years.
The Ministry of Health sets a target of 95% of children who have not been vaccinated or have not been fully vaccinated with measles-containing vaccine according to regulations to be vaccinated with 01 dose of measles-containing vaccine. The campaign must be completed no later than March 31, 2025.
Thus, from now until the end of March 2025, Nghe An will carry out two parallel campaigns of the Ministry of Health and the Nghe An Department of Health. In addition, it will also carry out an expanded immunization program to inject vaccines containing measles components.
There are 4 groups of people who are vaccinated against measles in this phase, namely: Children from 6 months to 9 months old; from 9 months to 12 months old; children from 1 year to 5 years old who have not been fully vaccinated with measles-containing vaccine and are given a catch-up dose (using measles-containing vaccine in the Expanded Immunization Program according to the Expanded Immunization Plan in 2025); children from 6-10 years old who have not been fully vaccinated with measles-containing vaccine according to regulations... The total number of children in the 4 groups vaccinated in this phase is 58,526.
Information from Nghe An Province Center for Disease Control: The unit currently has enough measles and measles-rubella vaccines for children of regular vaccination age and catch-up and booster vaccinations for all ages. The total number of doses available is nearly 77,000 doses.
To successfully implement the two measles vaccination campaigns and effectively implement the expanded vaccination program, Nghe An Department of Health requires medical units to focus on reviewing the vaccination subjects within the scope of the expanded vaccination and the ongoing campaign; implementing catch-up vaccination, regular vaccination for all subjects who have not been fully vaccinated, catch-up vaccination of the measles-Rubella vaccination campaign and continuing to vaccinate measles for children from 6 to under 9 months old, children from 1 to 10 years old... to ensure supplementation and filling the immune gap.
