Parents urged to vaccinate children

21/03/2008 -- 10:42 AM

Hanoi (VNA) – The National Expanded Programme for Immunisation (EPI) urged parents to get their children vaccinated at a press conference on March 20 in response to the drop in vaccinations following the supposedly vaccination-related deaths of 11 infants since the beginning of 2007. “There is no evidence that the Hepatitis B vaccine and other vaccines are the reasons behind the deaths of those children,” said EPI director Nguyen Tran Hien. “Parents should bring their children to get vaccinated for the long term benefit of all children nationwide,” Hien said. The deaths of five children in 2007 and six others in 2008 resulted in suspicion among parents and communities over EPI activities. Though the health sector announced no apparent relationship between the deaths and the vaccinations, many parents were alarmed. Some medical staff even wanted to quit or change jobs after suspicions mounted that they might have had something to do with the deaths of children. “Immunisation activities are highly effective in preventing the transmission of disease among children, so the activities should be maintained and strengthened,” said Hien. According to EPI statistics, the vaccination rate of children under five has dropped from 95.7 percent in 2006 to 81.2 percent in 2007, resulting in more than 200,000 children not receiving the 10 vaccinations offered by the EPI. Having started work in 1985, the EPI has achieved remarkable results in preventing the transmission of diseases to millions of children in Vietnam. Vietnam eradicated polio in 2000 and eliminated tetanus in 2005.-Enditem
Send this page	Print

Operation Smile begins annual dental mission (20/03/2008)

Over 40 percent of nation’s sick self-prescribe (20/03/2008)

Nation gears up for tests of VN-produced H5N1 vaccine (20/03/2008)

Viet Nam, Laos promote cooperation in health care (19/03/2008)

One more province declared bird flu free (19/03/2008)

Ethnic people’s medicinal herbs preserved (19/03/2008)

Capital to get more cholera vaccines (19/03/2008)

Viet Nam, Laos to further medical cooperation (18/03/2008)

Orbis flying hospital returns to Da Nang city (18/03/2008)

Israeli eye surgeons give free operations (18/03/2008)