Prime Minister requests to strengthen diphtheria prevention work

Accordingly, implementing the direction of the Prime Minister in Official Dispatch No. 862/CD-TTg dated July 8, 2020 on strengthening the prevention of leukemia, the Provincial People's Committee requests the Director of the Department of Health, Chairmen of the Provincial People's Committees of districts, cities and towns and Heads of the Departments: Health, Information and Communications, Finance, Education and Training, Provincial Radio and Television Station, Nghe An Newspaper, People's Committees of districts, cities and towns in the province based on their assigned functions and tasks to seriously implement the direction of the Prime Minister in Official Dispatch No. 862/CD-TTg dated July 8, 2020.

Full text of telegram No. 862/CD-TTg is as follows:

DiphtheriaDiphtheria is a dangerous acute infectious disease that spreads rapidly through the respiratory tract and can be fatal if not detected and treated promptly. The disease can be prevented by vaccination and cured with specific antibiotics. Currently, the disease is developing complicatedly. Since the beginning of June 2020, the disease has broken out and spread rapidly in some provinces of the Central Highlands and there have been deaths. Most of the cases were detected in remote areas and have not been vaccinated against diphtheria or have not been fully vaccinated on schedule.

To proactively control and promptly prevent diphtheria epidemic from spreading, the Prime Minister requests:

1. People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities direct authorities at all levels and departments, branches, and mass organizations to:

- Propaganda and mobilize people to implement measures to prevent and control the epidemic, instruct people when there are signs of the disease, to immediately go to a medical facility for examination, consultation and timely treatment. Organize close monitoring of the situation, early detection, thorough handling to prevent the epidemic from breaking out and spreading; timely treatment of sick people and healthy carriers, minimizing deaths.

- Clearly identify areas and subjects at risk of contracting the disease; organize full vaccination against diphtheria for target groups, especially in the Central Highlands provinces; ensure adequate funding, means, materials, chemicals, equipment, and perform well the work of early diagnosis, admission, emergency care, and treatment of patients.

2. Based on the identification of areas and subjects at risk of contracting the disease in each locality, the Provincial People's Committee directs the Department of Health to develop a plan for vaccination; the Ministry of Health directs localities to monitor, detect early, and thoroughly handle outbreaks; organizes training for health workers on monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment; and directs the provision of adequate diphtheria vaccines for the provinces.

3. The Ministry of Information and Communications, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency, Nhan Dan Newspaper and press agencies closely coordinate with the Ministry of Health and local authorities to disseminate and provide complete, timely and accurate information on diphtheria prevention and control measures so that people can actively and proactively implement them and, when showing signs of illness, immediately go to a medical facility for timely examination and treatment.

4. The Ministry of Education and Training directs the Departments of Education and Training to strongly implement disease prevention and hygiene activities at educational institutions, schools, classrooms, and kindergartens to ensure a clean, airy environment with adequate light.

5. The Ministry of Finance shall ensure sufficient funding for diphtheria prevention and control based on the proposal of the Ministry of Health./.