Vaccine shortages still occur
According to the Dak Lak Provincial Center for Disease Control (CDC), the rate of full vaccination of 8 types of vaccines for children under 1 year old reached 84.3%, an increase of 31.4% compared to 2023. Of which, the rate of Measles - Rubella vaccination for children 18 months old reached 87.6%, an increase of 21.3% compared to the same period last year. Although vaccine coverage has improved, shortages of items still occur frequently.
Mr. Hoang Hai Phuc - Director of Dak Lak Provincial CDC - said: "In 2024, the provincial health sector had a shortage of vaccines in some months, affecting the expanded immunization program. In particular, a part of the people in remote areas and ethnic minority areas are still not fully aware of the importance of vaccinating their children."
According to Mr. Phuc, lack of awareness about vaccination can lead to the risk of re-emergence of diseases such as diphtheria. Therefore, the health sector needs to continue to encourage people to be fully vaccinated and carry out catch-up and catch-up vaccinations to ensure the highest vaccination rate.
If this situation is not improved, infectious diseases can recur and have a negative impact on both children and adults, especially those with weakened immune systems. Low vaccination rates in remote areas also create the risk of forming outbreaks that are difficult to control.
Urgent allocation of vaccine resources
According to the Dak Lak Provincial CDC, in 2025, the unit will maintain expanded vaccination work and organize vaccination campaigns, prioritizing vaccine allocation for children in disadvantaged areas, especially areas with a large ethnic minority population.
CDC will also organize training, professional training, inspection and supervision of expanded immunization activities, and manage vaccination subjects through the national immunization information system. To effectively implement the immunization program, CDC Dak Lak will quickly receive and distribute vaccines to localities.
In the first quarter of 2025, the Central Highlands Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (under the Ministry of Health) provided more than 550,000 doses of vaccines against diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, measles-rubella, and Japanese encephalitis to the Central Highlands region. This amount of vaccine was distributed to 4 provinces: Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and Dak Nong, with the amount allocated according to the characteristics of each locality.
Mr. Bui Khanh Toan, Deputy Director of the Central Highlands Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said that the unit will strengthen supervision of vaccine preservation at all levels and prioritize the use of vaccines with short shelf lives. All procedures for exporting and importing vaccines will be carried out in accordance with regulations, and the transportation of vaccines to areas in the region will be supported to ensure vaccination progress.
