Health Ministry steps up measures against whooping cough

The move comes amid a rising number
of affected children.

Since the beginning of this year,
the Hanoi-based Vietnam National Hospital of Paediatrics has treated more than
50 children suffering from whooping cough, four of whom have died.

According to the hospital, most of
the children were less than three months old, were not vaccinated against the
disease, or vaccinated with inefficient doses, or whose mothers were not
vaccinated and thus had no antibodies to pass on to the children.

Many children were hospitalised with
serious pneumonia symptoms and had to be put on a respirator. Some cases were
required to undergo hemodialysis due to their critical condition.

The (MoH) has
asked local authorities to recheck the list of children eligible for the
national expanded programme on immunisation to ensure that at least 95 percent
at ward level are vaccinated.

The ministry has also asked local
authorities to vaccinate children whose s were delayed and intensify
the awareness-raising campaign for locals, urging them to get their children
vaccinated at the right time and with full doses.

Currently, there are two types of
vaccines against the disease — DTP and Quinvaxem. The first dose should be
injected when a child is two months old, the second dose one month
later and the third dose two months later.

Whooping cough, or
pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection. It is dangerous in infants, especially those
less than six months.

According to doctors, if an infant
less than one month suffers from the disease, the rate of fatality can be as
high as 90 percent. – VNA