Vietnam Makes Strides in Disease Control Through Vaccination Program
Since the implementation of the National Expanded Immunization Program, Vietnam has achieved significant milestones in controlling diseases such as measles and polio, eliminating neonatal tetanus, and significantly reducing preventable diseases such as measles, diphtheria, pertussis, and Japanese encephalitis through vaccination.
On the occasion of the World Immunization Week (April 24-30, 2024), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) released a statement affirming the effectiveness of vaccination programs in protecting children from various diseases over the past 40 years.
UNICEF Representative in Vietnam Rana Flowers believed that maintaining these significant achievements in the future is crucial to ensuring every child has the opportunity to live, develop, and lead a healthy life.
Dr. Angela Pratt, WHO representative in Vietnam, attributed these outcomes to the result of government guidance and robust collaboration among healthcare workers nationwide, local partners, community organizations, leaders, and international development partners, as well as sponsors and scientists over many years.
However, she warned that these achievements are under threat, underscoring the need for prompt action to narrow immunity gaps and ensure life-saving vaccines reach all children across the country, both today and in the future.