Pentaxim vaccination (Photo: VNA)Quang Ngai (VNA) – Vaccination is one of the greatest medical successstories that save 2-3 million lives every year, said Deputy Minister of HealthNguyen Thanh Long at a meeting held in the central province of Quang Ngai onJune 3 in response to the World Immunisation Week 2017.
Long stressed that over 600 million doses of various vaccines have been givenfree to Vietnamese women and children under the National Expanded Programme onImmunisation over the past three decades.
Aline-up of new vaccines have put into use, reducing deaths caused by infectiousdiseases, he underlined, adding that immunisation achievements have madesignificant contributions to protecting and improving healthcare, particularly forchildren in Vietnam.
However, the country still faces challenges, like late or insufficientimmunisations for children in remote areas, which could spark a return ofseveral contagious diseases, he said.
He took the occasion to call Vietnamese parents to vaccinate their children andmedical staff to ensure safe and effective immunisation.
Hospitals need to provide infants with hepatitis B immunisation within theirfirst 24 hours, he added.
A representative from the World Health Organisation in Vietnam laudedachievements of the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation in the past 30years.
This year, the immunisation week highlighted the important roles of vaccines onpeople’s lives and sustainable development goals. Vaccines help change life andenable children develop healthily and have bright future.
The Immunisation Week was initiated in 2011 by the World Health Organisation.Some 180 countries and territories worldwide have joined the event.
Torespond to the event, Quang Ngai province committed to promoting theimmunisation campaign in the locality. Vaccination will be delivered to over22,800 pregnant women, over 21,000 women of childbearing age and nearly 23,000children over 1 year old.-VNA
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