Immunization
Fact sheet
Key facts
- Immunization services are carried out in all communes nationwide in Viet Nam.
- The target for complete vaccination for children under 1 year old reached 80% in 1989 and has been achieving over 90% since 1993.
- The expanded programme on immunization (EPI) has contributed to Viet Nam's polio-free status and the elimination of neonatal tetanus.
- EPI has contributed to a drastic reduction in the morbidity rate of measles, pertusis and diphtheria.
- EPI has established a cold chain for delivering vaccines from regional centres
- Viet Nam has already succeeded in producing several domestic vaccines.
- EPI has been expanding activities with four newly introduced vaccines: for hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, cholera and typhoid.
The situation
- Viet Nam's Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) was started in 1981. This programme is one of the most successful of the nation's priority health programmes.
- Viet Nam achieved polio-free status in 1997 (certified in 2000) and the elimination of neonatal tetanus in 2005 due to high routine immunization coverage.
- Viet Nam has also made remarkable progress toward the WHO Western Pacific Region goals of measles elimination and hepatitis B control. After a measles vaccination campaign in 2010, the number of measles cases has decreased. The introduction of a hepatitis B vaccine into EPI in 2003 and a hepatitis B birth dose within 24 hours in 2006 has also proven to be very successful.
Challenges
- Several diseases, such as congenital rubella syndrome due to rubella outbreaks, continue to be a public health burden.
- Vaccination coverage is still inadequate for children living in poverty or remote areas or for children facing problems associated with migration.
- In handling new domestic vaccine production initiatives, establishing a fully functional National Regulatory Authority for vaccine quality assurance is an important task.
WHO's response
- WHO is currently providing technical assistance in the following areas:
- Maintenance of traditional diseases eradication/elimination programmes such as. poliomyelitis and neonatal tetanus;
- Introducing and strengthening new disease control initiatives for measles, rubella and hepatitis B;
- Establishing and strengthening disease surveillances for vaccine-preventable diseases, in collaboration with national laboratories;
- Strengthening the quality aspect of EPI services, such as surveillance for adverse events following immunization, and safe injection and waste disposal;
- Assistance in identifying high-risk populations for vaccination and in ensuring availability of vaccines to everyone in need of them (Reach Every District/ Commune);
- Sustainable financial planning and advocacy;
- Assistance to the National Regulatory Authority for vaccine quality assurance to fulfill its essential functions and become capable of handling new domestic vaccine production;
- Assistance in introducing new routine EPI vaccines, supported by the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI).