Doctors care for a COVID-19 patient at an intensive care unit in Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has established itself as one of the leading countries in the fight against emerging diseases in the context of a number of dangerous and
fast-spreading epidemics in the world over the past years like and earlier, or MERS-CoV.
During over 30 years since the launch of the national Expanded Immunisation Programme, Vietnam has
developed the capacity of monitoring, detecting, diagnosing, and responding to
disease outbreaks in a swift and effective manner. Despite socio-economic
challenges, improvements have been recorded in the prevention and control of
dangerous and , reception and treatment of patients, as well
as the preparedness to respond to .
As a result, many deadly contagious diseases have been brought under control and eradicated such as smallpox eliminated in
1978, polio in 2000, and neonatal tetanus in 2005 while no new cases of bubonic
plague have been reported since 2002.
Infections of other epidemics like
diphtheria, whooping cough and measles have also been reduced by hundreds or
even thousands of times compared to the time prior to the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. Many other endemic diseases that can break out into epidemics
such as dengue fever, viral encephalitis, tuberculosis, typhoid, and cholera
have been curbed with both infections and fatalities minimised with no major breakouts.
Vietnam was one of the first
countries to succeed in containing the SARS, A/H5N1, and A/H1N1 outbreaks. It
also successfully prevented some dangerous and emerging diseases like A/H7N9,
Ebola, and MERS-CoV from entering the country.
In particular, after more than three years,
Vietnam has managed to contain the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that spread
around the globe, thus greatly helping with its socio-economic recovery and
development.
Monitoring and testing capacity has
also been promoted when it comes to emerging communicable diseases, from MERS-CoV,
Ebola to A/H7N9 and COVID-19. The communicable disease surveillance system,
including surveillance in the community, at border gates and at laboratories,
along with surveillance in areas with abnormal epidemiological factors has
proved effective.
The achievements of Vietnam have earned
worldwide recognition. The country’s good performance has enhanced people’s
trust and won admiration from the international community.
Pointing out
complex developments of communicable diseases in the world, Deputy Minister of
Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong said the tropical monsoon climate and growing
trade and tourism make Vietnam highly vulnerable to different epidemics.
To prevent diseases from becoming
epidemics and gearing up for future pandemics or health emergencies, the Ministry
of Health (MoH) will push ahead with implementing tasks and solutions as
assigned by the Party Central Committee, National Assembly, Government, and
Prime Minister, she noted.
It will step
up access to global health security in disease prevention and control to share
information and experience via bilateral and multilateral cooperation
mechanisms, thereby showing its sense of responsibility towards international
cooperation in epidemic response, according to the official.
At a
ceremony held on December 27, 2023 in response to the International Day of
Epidemic Preparedness, the MoH asked provinces and centrally-run cities to enhance
disease prevention and control; ready response plans in case of pandemics or
health emergencies; improve the capacity of anti-epidemic systems at all
levels, especially in disadvantaged, remote, mountainous, border, maritime, and
ethnic minority areas; and engage all sides, including authorities, sectors, and
socio-political organisations, in the work.
The MoH also
called on the entire people and community to better disease awareness, improve
their health, and actively join in disease prevention efforts./.
Source: VietnamPlus
