Vinh City: Free measles vaccination for children 2 to 6 years old

(Baonghean.vn) -Implementing the plan to strengthen measles vaccination and measles vaccination of the Provincial People's Committee, up to now, Nghe An health sector has basically completed measles vaccination for children from 9 months to 24 months old.

Entering the second phase, the health sector began to vaccinate children aged 24 months to under 84 months against measles for free in key localities with many infected children. From April 26 to April 29, 23 ward and commune health stations in Vinh city simultaneously deployed measles vaccination for children who had never been vaccinated or had not received the second dose of measles vaccine...

Many parents bring their children to get measles vaccination at Hung Loc Commune Health Station.

Although the free measles vaccination for children from 24 months to under 84 months old was only announced on the afternoon of April 25, almost all people with children of vaccination age quickly grasped this information. Therefore, at just after 6:00 a.m. on April 26, many people in the city had brought their children to the local health stations where they lived. Mr. Tran Trung Nghia and his wife, in Tien Loc hamlet, Hung Loc commune, took both of their children to get vaccinated. Mr. Nghia's eldest daughter Chau is 4 years old but has only had the first shot, while Chau's younger brother is 9 months old and has not had any shots.

At 8:00 a.m., at Hung Loc Commune Health Station, more than 100 children registered for vaccination and 50 children were safely vaccinated. According to estimates, Hung Loc Commune has over 1,400 children aged 24 months to under 84 months, however, only about 400 children have never been vaccinated against measles and have not received the second dose of measles vaccine... Doctor Le Thi Le Thu, Head of Hung Loc Commune Health Station, said: On the afternoon of April 25, after receiving a notice from the City Health Center, the station reported to the Commune People's Committee to hold a meeting to organize the implementation. Immediately after the meeting, we divided the hamlets to notify the vaccination schedule to avoid gathering too many children.

Similarly, at Nghi Phu Commune Health Station: By 9:30 a.m., more than 100/800 children who needed to be vaccinated had been vaccinated against measles. There were many children who were not from hamlets 1-6 but were still brought in for vaccination, but that did not mean they were not vaccinated. Doctor Giang Lam, Head of Nghi Phu Commune Health Station: Only 17 children were temporarily contraindicated so they could not be vaccinated at this time and were instructed by doctors to bring them in for vaccination at a later time. Under the direction of the Department of Health, our Health Center conducted very careful screening to ensure safety in vaccination...

Screening examination to ensure vaccination safety at Hung Loc commune health station

Measles vaccination for children at Nghi Phu commune health station

Under the direction of the Nghe An Department of Health, Vinh City is the first unit to vaccinate children from 24 to under 84 months old against measles. The reason Vinh City was chosen is because since the beginning of the year, this locality has had more than 130 children with measles (accounting for more than 50% of measles cases in the province). As the epicenter of the measles epidemic, this vaccination campaign aims to prevent and control measles outbreaks. Secondly, in recent days, many parents, out of fear, have taken their children to the Safpo vaccination room at the Provincial Center for Preventive Medicine for service vaccinations, leading to overload and out of vaccines here, as well as children being susceptible to cross-infection. Therefore, this free vaccination campaign is a good opportunity for children in areas far from the city center and children who have not been vaccinated to be fully vaccinated against measles.

The free measles vaccination campaign for children from 24 months to under 84 months old in Vinh City will last for 4 days, from April 26 to April 29. The target of this campaign is to vaccinate about 8,000-12,000 children. Children who cannot be vaccinated this time can come to get vaccinated in the following days. Vinh City Medical Center will continue to direct commune and ward health stations to vaccinate the children - said Dr. Ho Huu Da, Director of Vinh City Medical Center. According to Dr. Da, people should not be too worried and bring too many children at once. There is enough measles vaccine for all children in the area.

Doctor Nguyen Xuan Hong, Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Health, affirmed: After Vinh City, the sector will continue to vaccinate other localities with measles outbreaks. Currently, the sector cannot immediately vaccinate simultaneously because there is not enough vaccine. Although there are still certain difficulties, it is guaranteed to meet the needs of units and localities... Currently, health stations and hospitals at district, city and town levels all ensure safe vaccination as well as measles treatment. Therefore, people should not be too worried and bring their children to provincial hospitals because the risk of cross-infection of measles and other diseases is very high, the benefits do not outweigh the harm.

With the participation of the entire political system of Nghe An province and Vinh city in particular, along with the care and concern for the health of their children of parents, the goal of free measles vaccination for children from 24 months to under 84 months old will certainly be achieved. Hopefully, people will no longer be subjective, actively take their children to get vaccinated against measles as well as other types of vaccines; because only vaccination is the most optimal measure to prevent and control epidemics.

Thanh Chung