At a working session with relevant ministries, agencies and Hanoi authorities on April 23, the PM asked the Ministry of Public Health to expand communications campaigns to raise public awareness of the disease and all necessary precautions, especially vaccination.
Dung warned although the disease is showing signs o abating, it remains complex and more hospitalisations are reported every day.What is even more worrying is that the measles vaccination rate remains under 50 percent in 11 provinces.
According to the Health Minister’s report at the session, a total of 3,569 measles cases were recorded as of April 23 in 61 out of 63 cities and provinces, with 37 percent of the cases in Hanoi.
Children under 10 accounted for 68.3 percent of measles patients, the report said, adding that a majority of patients (86.4 percent) were not vaccinated against the disease, while 9.9 percent of the patients had acquired just one shot of vaccine while at least two doses are required.
The disease has claimed 25 lives so far, but the number of fatalities from measles complications has amounted to 108.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said the health sector is working hard to minimize infection and death in localities.
It has sent doctors to satellite hospitals to ease the overloading in centrally-run hospitals – one of the major causes of cross infection.
The Ministry of Health is encouraging localities to vaccinate all children against measles, considering the most effective measure to prevent the disease breaking out.
Vaccination is well underway in all localities across the country, Tien said.
Vietnam is in the stage of curbing measles and expects to eliminate the disease by 2017
According to the Health Minister’s report at the session, a total of 3,569 measles cases were recorded as of April 23 in 61 out of 63 cities and provinces, with 37 percent of the cases in Hanoi.
Children under 10 accounted for 68.3 percent of measles patients, the report said, adding that a majority of patients (86.4 percent) were not vaccinated against the disease, while 9.9 percent of the patients had acquired just one shot of vaccine while at least two doses are required.
The disease has claimed 25 lives so far, but the number of fatalities from measles complications has amounted to 108.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said the health sector is working hard to minimize infection and death in localities.
It has sent doctors to satellite hospitals to ease the overloading in centrally-run hospitals – one of the major causes of cross infection.
The Ministry of Health is encouraging localities to vaccinate all children against measles, considering the most effective measure to prevent the disease breaking out.
Vaccination is well underway in all localities across the country, Tien said.
Vietnam is in the stage of curbing measles and expects to eliminate the disease by 2017
