Pentaxim (Photo: VNA)
Quang Ngai (VNA) – Vaccination is one of the greatest medical success
stories that save 2-3 million lives every year, said Deputy Minister of Health
Nguyen Thanh Long at a meeting held in the central province of Quang Ngai on
June 3 in response to the .
Long stressed that over 600 million doses of various vaccines have been given
free to Vietnamese women and children under the National Expanded Programme on
Immunisation over the past three decades.
A
line-up of new vaccines have put into use, reducing deaths caused by infectious
diseases, he underlined, adding that immunisation achievements have made
significant contributions to protecting and improving healthcare, particularly for
children in Vietnam.
However, the country still faces challenges, like late or insufficient
immunisations for children in remote areas, which could spark a return of
several contagious diseases, he said.
He took the occasion to call Vietnamese parents to vaccinate their children and
medical staff to ensure safe and effective immunisation.
Hospitals need to provide infants with hepatitis B immunisation within their
first 24 hours, he added.
A representative from the World Health Organisation in Vietnam lauded
achievements of the in the past 30
years.
This year, the immunisation week highlighted the important roles of vaccines on
people’s lives and sustainable development goals. Vaccines help change life and
enable children develop healthily and have bright future.
The Immunisation Week was initiated in 2011 by the World Health Organisation.
Some 180 countries and territories worldwide have joined the event.
To
respond to the event, Quang Ngai province committed to promoting the
immunisation campaign in the locality. Vaccination will be delivered to over
22,800 pregnant women, over 21,000 women of childbearing age and nearly 23,000
children over 1 year old.-VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
