Vietnam has been free of polio since 2000 and tetanus at birth since 2005 thanks to locally-made vaccines that have been used in the nationwide expanded immunisation programme.
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has been free of polio since 2000 and tetanus at birth since 2005 thanks to locally-made vaccines that have been used in the nationwide expanded immunisation programme, said Duong 🅠Thi Hong, deputy chief of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
Hong told the Vietnam News Agency that the programme, which has been carried out since 1985, has helped significantly reduced cases of diphtheria, whooping cough, Japanese encephalitis and measles.
According to the official, ten out of 12 types of vaccines used in the programme are locally made.
All the vaccines must be licensed by the Health Ministry and go through strict testing in order to ensure that they are safe and effective, Hong said.
She added that the World Health Organisation has recently granted the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) certificate to Vietnam, recognising that made-in-Vietnam vaccines meet international standards.
Hong, however, pointed to a spate of challenges hindering the work such as the low immunisation coverage among mountainous residents and falling international donations.
The official called on the Government and authorities at all levels to pour more investment into the programme to meet public demand for vaccines.
Vaccines against serious diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhea caused by the Rota virus have yet to be included in the programme, she said, adding the increasing demand for new-generation vaccines also remains a challenge.
Regarding the present trend towards paying for more expensive imported vaccines in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the official said that all vaccines used in the national programme and private services have to be licensed by the Health Ministry.
The programme has benefited more than 1.5 million children nationwide since it was launched 30 years ago.
Children are vulnerable to dangerous diseases, she said, noting that vaccinations are the most effective way of preventing them.
The national campaign aims to raise its coverage among the community in 2016 while increasing the quality of inoculations and access to vaccines in remote and far-flung areas.
Next year, Vietnam will offer more polio vaccines to join global efforts to erase the disease, she said.-VNA
Tran Dac Phu, Director of the Preventive Medicine Department, speaks to Vietnam News Agency about the quality of vaccines under the national programme on immunisation.
Dengue fever vaccine tests in the past five years in Vietnam showed real promise, according to the Preventive Medicine Department under the Ministry of Health.
The Ministry of Public Heath has launched a programme on rallying efforts of the entire political system and the community for fighting infectious diseases.
The Ministry of Health issued a public warning on December 21 regarding the so-called imported vaccine, whose origin and quality it was not able to verify.
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The PM called for closer, broader, and more effective cooperation with Vietnamese partners, guided by the principles of mutual benefit, joint efforts, shared outcomes, and common development, including promoting stronger public-private partnerships and collaboration with businesses.
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Leading Vietnamese companies specialising in respiratory and dermatological treatments, traditional medicine, immune support supplements, and functional foods will have an opportunity to connect with international distributors and secure export deals.
The project aimed to enable early detection and reduce the risk of dangerous complications, targeting patients with chronic diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and metabolic disorders.
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The groundbreaking ceremony took place one day after the VNVC Vaccine JS Company and Sanofi Group exchanged cooperation documents on vaccine production technology transfer under the witness of State President Luong Cuong and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Vietnam’s traditional medicine took centre stage at the International Congress Biopharm Nonclinical Development, BioNCiD 2025, held on May 25-26 in the Cuban city of Varadero, amid growing global interest in sustainable healthcare solutions.
Under the agreement, VNVC and Sanofi will gradually implement technology transfers to enable domestic production of several key Sanofi vaccines that are widely used in Vietnam. In addition, Sanofi will support VNVC in training human resources and quality management in vaccine research and manufacturing.
Despite the ongoing global circulation and unpredictable developments of SARS-CoV-2, the World Health Organisation (WHO) hasn’t issued new warnings about COVID-19, said the Ministry of Health.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
