Given the phenomenon of disease, prevention is necessary, and it is impossible to be complacent, leading to the spread of disease. However, disease prevention must be guided by specialized agencies, by healthcare experts, and not handled arbitrarily based on "word of mouth" or "Google doctors," where benefits are not seen, but harm is apparent in the short term.
Vietnam is a country with a high vaccination rate compared to many other countries, with the diphtheria vaccine having been used in the Expanded Program on Immunization in our country since 1985. This shows that diphtheria is not a "new disease" like COVID-19, but has been discovered for a long time and has been controlled through vaccination, resulting in community immunity for many years.
In addition to community immunity through vaccination, if a person contracts diphtheria, they can rest assured that there is sufficient medication for treatment. The number of patients with diphtheria is not high, and there is no risk of widespread transmission because the healthcare sector has the ability to control it, so there is no reason to panic. Do not be too alarmed and organize isolation like during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The healthcare sector has provided comprehensive guidance on disease prevention, and for individuals with diphtheria, personal hygiene and a clean environment are essential; residents in areas with outbreaks should take medication as directed by doctors and receive vaccinations to prevent disease...
However, when a disease occurs, regardless of the severity, it is necessary to have scientific evaluations and analyses to implement measures to prevent it. Minimizing the disease and protecting public health is the responsibility of the healthcare sector, local authorities, and the government. In the case of this diphtheria outbreak, according to the analysis of experts, the outbreak primarily occurs in areas with low vaccination coverage.
Low vaccination coverage areas are remote, hard-to-reach regions with limited access to healthcare, including access to vaccines. Expanded vaccination programs have covered urban areas, but have not yet reached these difficult-to-access regions, where residents still face disadvantages. Knowing this, we can improve vaccination efforts, not just for diphtheria but for all other diseases as well.
The Ministry of Health has set a target for 2025, with a diphtheria incidence rate of less than 0.1 per 100,000 people, which is certainly achievable if we fill in the vaccine coverage gaps.
