Ministry requires stronger measures this summer to cope with infectious diseases

A medical worker sprays disinfectant at a preschool with children suffering from hand-foot-mouth disease in Phú Yên Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Tường Quân

HÀ NỘI — The Minister of Health (MoH) has asked provinces and cities to strengthen disease prevention during summer this year.

The requirement was released after the infectious disease surveillance system shows that currently, a number of epidemics such as dengue fever, hand-foot-mouth disease and measles are on the rise.

The MoH said that the country is experiencing hot and rainy summer weather and it is also the peak tourism season, with increased risk of sickness, especially measles and dengue fever.

To proactively deploy infectious diseases prevention and control, the MoH requests localities to promote monitoring and early detection of suspected cases and outbreaks in the community, as well as at medical facilities.

Affected areas and patients must be quarantined and samples must be taken to identify pathogens.

Health units should work closely with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and the Pasteur Institute to assess risks, analyse the situation to deploy measures, handle outbreaks and organise vaccination campaigns.

Localities must push up regular vaccination to ensure safety and effectiveness, review and hold additional vaccination for those who have not been vaccinated or have not received enough vaccinations.

Medical facilities should encourage families to get children and pregnant women vaccinated fully and on schedule.

The MoH demands health stations to ensure good and active treatment, minimising serious complications and deaths, strictly implement personal protection measures, infection control measures and cross-infection prevention.

Their duty is also to provide timely and complete information on infection prevention measures for patients and caregivers.

Localities are responsible for organising activities to educate personal hygiene and food hygiene, and launching environmental sanitation campaigns.

Provinces and cities will review and ensure the readiness of logistics, drugs and medical equipment to meet the requirements of epidemic prevention and control.

The local health sector will conduct training to improve capacity in monitoring, detecting, investigating pathogens, outbreak treatment measures and guidance on diagnosis, treatment, first aid and resuscitation. — VNS