Domestic, global focus needed to address public health issues

A combination of various public health and preventive medicine specialties should be paid attention to at the domestic and international levels to protect people’s health amid emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases globally, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son told a recent conference at the Pasteur Institute in HCM City.
Domestic, global focus needed to address public health issues ảnh 1A child gets vaccinated at a centre in HCM City (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) - A combination of various public health and preventive medicinespecialties should be paid attention to at the domestic and internationallevels to protect people’s health amid emerging and re-emerging infectiousdiseases globally, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son told arecent conference at the Pasteur Institute in HCM City.

Problems in onecountry could affect other countries easier than in the past since pathogensand vectors now move further and faster than ever before through the globaltransportation network, he pointed out.

The incidence ofnon-communicable diseases too has increased, including in Vietnam where theycause 70 percent of deaths, he said.

“So the health sectorin the country has expanded co-operation with other countries and adoptedglobal scientific advances for the prevention and treatment of diseases.”

The Government hasinvested in developing preventive medicine facilities and human resources forearly prevention of diseases, he added.

Phan Trong Lan, headof the Pasteur Institute, said social media poses a challenge to public health,explaining, for instance, that many websites advocating against vaccines appearfirst when searching on Google.

Of 100 websites onvaccination, 43 per cent post contents against vaccines, he lamented.

Research has foundthat if parents spend five or 10 minutes reading information against vaccines,they do not get their children vaccinated.

It is very importantto ensure the websites of the World Health Organization and countries’ healthdepartments appear on top in online searches, he said.

According to theinstitute, immunisation is not only essential for children, but also beneficialto adults and pregnant women, patients with primary or secondary immunosuppression,those with chronic diseases, and many others.

Lan said more andmore inaccurate information about health is posted on the internet, posing amajor challenge to the health sector.

The conference sawexperts from disease control and prevention institutes and centres around thecountry table a number of studies on preventive medicine.

Son said theconference is a platform for scientists and policymakers to share experiencesand skills in public health.

He instructed thePasteur Institute, which is designated by the Ministry of Health to addresspublic health problems basing on evidence, to invest more in its facilities andtesting equipment./.
VNA

See more

Up to 95% of children aged 1-5 living in the city are expected to be vaccinated against measles and rubella this year. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi begins measles vaccination campaign

Hanoi commenced a measles vaccination campaign at health stations in the districts of Long Bien, Phu Xuyen, Phuc Tho, Thuong Tin, Dong Anh, Hoai Duc and Thach That and Son Tay township on October 14.

The working session on vaccine manufacturing cooperation with Sanofi on October 8.(Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese, French firms partner in vaccine production

The Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company (VNVC) and Sanofi on October 8 signed a document guiding the cooperation in manufacturing some vaccines of the French pharmaceutical group in the Southeast Asian country.

Providing free health check-ups and medicine to workers. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, IOM foster cooperation in improving migrants’ health

The Ministry of Health (MoH) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on September 18 signed a memorandum of understanding on strengthening cooperation in enhancing the health and quality of life of migrants, and supporting them in accessing national health systems and policies.

Doctor Jacques Ballout and a Vietnamese apprentice doctor. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese doctors impress French colleagues

Industriousness, enthusiasm, and smartness are the impressions that French doctors have had of their colleagues from the Vietnam – Sweden hospital in the northern province of Quang Ninh’s Uong Bi city, who are working at the Pierre Bérégovoy hospital, Nevers city of Nièvre province, under an apprenticeship programme.

Passengers at Noi Bai International Airport (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi tightens control, prevention of monkeypox

The Hanoi Department of Health has asked the city's Centre for Disease Control (CDC) to coordinate with Noi Bai International Airport and relevant units to increase monitoring to promptly detect suspected monkeypox cases at the airport and border gates, especially those returning from countries where the disease is currently spreading.

A doctor gives a dental check-up to a child at the September 7 event in the Czech Republic. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese in Czech Republic join hands for community health

The network of Vietnamese intellectuals and experts, the Vietnamese youths and students association, and the group of Vietnamese doctors and physicians in the Czech Republic have coordinated to offer free health check-ups and consultancy to the Vietnamese community in the country.