PM urges strengthened efforts to prevent, control measles

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on November 14 urged ministries, agencies and localities to strengthen measles prevention and control measures, given an uptrend recorded in several localities.

In an official dispatch, the leader requested the Minister of Health to continue guiding the implementation of prevention measures, vaccination campaigns, and early detection and management of outbreaks. The Ministry of Health is also tasked with ensuring effective patient admission and treatment to protect the health and lives of those affected, and to direct healthcare facilities under the its authority to follow the ministry's guidelines in admitting and treating patients. Additionally, training programmes will be organised to enhance the capacity for monitoring, diagnosing, and treating measles.

The Minister of Education and Training is responsible for directing educational institutions to carry out prevention measures in accordance with the guidelines from the health authority. Schools must monitor the health of children and students and immediately notify healthcare facilities if any suspected cases are identified, so that proper quarantine and timely action can be taken. Furthermore, parents are encouraged to ensure their children receive full and timely vaccinations.

The Chairpersons of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities are instructed to closely monitor the local disease situation, regularly assess the risk of outbreaks, and proactively supervise and promptly detect possible cases to address and stamp out outbreaks, and prevent the disease from spreading.

Urgent efforts should be made to organise measles vaccination campaigns for target groups, as per the Ministry of Health's guidelines, particularly in areas at high risk of the disease outbreaks or where vaccination coverage is low.

Public awareness campaigns should be conducted to encourage people to adopt preventive measures, ensure children are vaccinated on schedule, and seek immediate medical attention at healthcare facilities if they show symptoms of the disease to receive prompt diagnosis, advice, and treatment, the Government leader stressed.

It is essential to ensure the availability of logistics, medicines, equipment, supplies, and chemicals necessary for measles prevention and control, and enhance inspections and enforce compliance with disease control measures, with strict penalties for violations.

The Minister of Information and Communications, and the General Directors of the Vietnam Television, Radio Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency, and other media agencies are tasked with intensifying the dissemination of information on prevention and control measures; and providing regular, comprehensive, and accurate updates on the disease situation, while actively preventing and addressing any misinformation related to outbreaks./.