Nationwide measles vaccination campaign launched.

The Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, has announced that from now until April 2014, the Ministry of Health will implement a nationwide measles vaccination plan and catch-up measles vaccination program to urgently control and contain the current measles outbreak.

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This vaccination campaign targets children aged 9 months to 2 years nationwide who have not been vaccinated or have not received all the required doses of the measles vaccine according to the immunization schedule, as well as high-risk individuals in measles outbreak areas as defined by regulations. It is expected that over 95% of these target groups will receive the measles vaccine during this campaign.

According to the plan, commune health stations need to review the list of people who need measles vaccination in their area, including transient individuals; paying particular attention to remote areas, border areas, and areas with fluctuating populations.

Local authorities can schedule vaccinations during the monthly routine vaccination session or on another day. Each vaccination session must have at least two healthcare workers who have been trained in screening and vaccination. After each session, local authorities should also review the activities to promptly develop supplementary vaccination plans and adjustments, ensuring that no eligible individuals are missed.

The Department of Preventive Medicine stated that vaccines will be supplied to district health centers at least 3 days before the vaccination event, and to communes and district hospitals 1 day before or immediately before the vaccination session.

To achieve the goal of this measles vaccination plan (95% of eligible individuals will be vaccinated), the Department of Preventive Medicine also requested that provincial, district, and commune-level health departments conduct public awareness campaigns through mass media regarding the vaccination schedule and target groups. National, regional, provincial, and district-level authorities should proactively send inspection and monitoring teams to oversee activities before, during, and after implementation. Based on this, they should compile the information and report the results to higher levels.

The measles vaccine is administered free of charge nationwide to children aged 9 months as part of the Expanded Immunization Program. Since 1993, the annual vaccination rate for children under 1 year old nationwide has exceeded 90%. A second dose of the measles vaccine was introduced into the Expanded Immunization Program for children in 2006. Along with other countries in the Western Pacific region, Vietnam is striving to eliminate measles by 2017.

According to chinhphu.vn