Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long has emphasized Vietnam’s awareness of the risks and severity of measles outbreaks and called on international organizations to continue supporting the country’s efforts to combat the disease, particularly through vaccine assistance, local media reported.
Deputy PM Long made the statement during a March 13 meeting in Hanoi with World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Vietnam Angela Pratt and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative to Vietnam Silvia Danilov.
Vietnam stands ready to respond to a worsening measles situation and will continue nationwide vaccination campaigns, expand eligibility for immunization, and conduct catch-up vaccinations, Mr. Long said.
He urged the Ministry of Health to work closely with WHO and UNICEF to refine Vietnam’s healthcare policies, particularly in disease prevention and control.
Both WHO and UNICEF representatives affirmed their commitment to supporting Vietnam’s health sector. They noted that while the overall trend of measles cases is declining, some regions in Vietnam still have immunity gaps, necessitating an accelerated vaccination rollout, expanded target groups, and comprehensive nationwide catch-up immunizations. They also stressed the importance of securing medical supplies, stockpiling medications, and preventing measles transmission in healthcare facilities.
The Ministry of Health rated that measles vaccine coverage has remained below required levels for several years, largely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, creating significant immunity gaps. Between 2019 and 2024, an estimated 1.4 million children in the eligible age group either missed or received incomplete measles vaccinations.
So far, catch-up and campaign-based measles vaccinations have reached about 70% of the target group, approximately 900,000 children. Without urgent efforts to vaccinate the remaining 500,000 unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children, the risk of a widespread outbreak remains high, health officials warned. (Suc Khoe Doi Song, VietnamNews, Vietnam Plus, VOV, Dau Tu)