Fear about prices
The dengue fever vaccine has been announced to be available in Can Tho city for many months. A survey by reporters from major vaccination centers in the city such as: Center for Disease Control (CDC) Can Tho City, Can Tho Children's Hospital, VNVC, ... retail price of Qdenga vaccine is fluctuating from 1 - 1.4 million VND/dose.
This vaccine is indicated for people aged 4 and over with a 2-dose regimen, 3 months apart. This means that to complete the basic vaccination regime for one person, the family will need to pay from 2 - 2.8 million VND (excluding examination fees and other service fees if any).
According to research, some vaccination facilities are currently implementing many incentive packages or installment programs. However, with the general income of many families in the West, the above amount, especially when multiplied by the number of 3-4 family members, is still a big burden.
Mr. Nguyen Van Toan (Long Tuyen ward, Can Tho city) shared: "Everyone knows that dengue fever is dangerous, especially for young children, but my husband and I work as workers, with a salary of only about 6 - 7 million/month. It is beyond the possibility that our two children will be vaccinated with nearly 6 million VND, we are still wondering whether to vaccinate or not".
Ms. Le Phuong Uyen (Thoi Lai commune, Can Tho city) expressed: "Previously, we didn't know there was a vaccine, so when my child was sick, we only hospitalized him, now that he is sick, the price is a bit expensive. In the immediate future, we must try to clean up the house and destroy the mosquito larvae".
According to Doctor CK II Ha Tan Vinh - Deputy Director of CDC Can Tho City, through grasping the situation, people see that the price of dengue vaccine to prevent dengue fever is somewhat high. Many people have reasonable price needs to prevent the disease.
The doctor added that during the peak of the rainy season, the demand for dengue vaccination increased, but at CDC Can Tho, supply was somewhat limited due to imported vaccines and overproduction by manufacturers.
Number of cases exceeds 4,000
Dengue fever is an acute infectious disease, caused by Dengue virus and Aedes mosquitoes are the mediators of disease transmission. The disease can cause serious complications such as shock, damage to some organs, and even death.
In Can Tho City, the number of cases tends to increase sharply during the rainy season. According to CDC Can Tho statistics in 2022, dengue fever increased rapidly from May to August, with the number of cases recorded by the end of the year being about 5,000. In 2023, Can Tho recorded more than 1,860 cases.
At this time in 2024, the city recorded about 2,000 cases of dengue fever, while this year it recorded over 4,040 cases, including 1 death. Doctors warn that with the current erratic weather, the epidemic is likely to last.
At Can Tho Children's Hospital, Dr. Nguyen Huynh Nhat Truong - Head of the Exortic Fever Department - said that through receiving treatment for pediatric patients in the Western region, the rate of children with severe illnesses occurring from 6, 9, 16 years old, in shock has had many cases of liver damage.
It is known that the Can Tho health sector has been continuing to prepare and ensure drugs, vaccines, biological products, supplies, chemicals, equipment, and human resources to be ready to serve the work of preventing and controlling infectious diseases. Along with that, prepare response plans to epidemic situations according to the 4 on-site motto, to prevent epidemics from occurring.
