Procedures for Handling and Organizing Measles Vaccination at Educational Institutions in Ho Chi Minh City

Procedures for Handling and Organizing Measles Vaccination at Educational Institutions in Ho Chi Minh City

On September 4, 2024, the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City issued Official Dispatch 5528/SGDDT-CTTT in 2024 regarding the process of handling and organizing Measles vaccination at educational institutions.

To promptly prevent and control Measles outbreaks at educational institutions in the new academic year, the Department of Education and Training urges the heads of units to swiftly implement the following specific contents:

- Regarding handling cases of Measles or suspected Measles at schools:

Implement the Process of Handling Cases of Measles or Suspected Measles at Schools as stated in Official Dispatch 8716/SYT-NVY in 2024 of the Department of Health regarding proactive Measles prevention and control efforts at schools.

- Collaborate with the health sector to organize Measles vaccination:

+ Subjects: Children and students aged 1 to 5 years and 6 to 10 years attending educational institutions, who have not received two doses of Measles-containing vaccine or whose vaccination history is unclear.

+ Time and place: The Department of Education and Training collaborates with the District Health Center to develop the vaccination plan at the local level.

>> View Official Dispatch 5528/SGDDT-CTTT in 2024:

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Procedures for Handling and Organizing Measles Vaccination at Educational Institutions in Ho Chi Minh City (Image from the Internet)

Implementation of Handling and Organizing Measles Vaccination in Vietnam

According to Section 3 of Official Dispatch 5528/SGDDT-CTTT in 2024, the implementation of handling and organizing Measles vaccination is as follows:

(1) Department of Education and Training of Districts, Cities, and Thu Duc City

- Create a list of children and students aged 1 to 5 years and 6 to 10 years attending educational institutions who have not received adequate vaccinations or whose vaccination history is unclear.

- Collaborate with the local Health Department to organize Measles vaccination for children and students attending schools, ensuring their safety during vaccination.

- Report the number of children in the target group to the Department of Education and Training before 5:00 PM, September 7, 2024, via the link https://bit.ly/baocaoSoi2024, and report vaccination data through the link mentioned after each vaccination day.

(2) Educational Institutions

- Compile and list students in the target group, reporting the data to the Department of Education and Training.

- Collaborate with the local health station to organize Measles vaccination points for children and students attending the educational institution; assist in sending invitations provided by the local health station to parents/guardians to invite children who have not been fully vaccinated or whose vaccination history is unclear; continue to propagate to parents about vaccination, ensuring parental consent for voluntary student Measles vaccination to prevent disease outbreaks.

School Activities for Managing, Protecting, and Caring for Students' Health in Vietnam

According to Article 9 Joint Circular 13/2016/TTLT-BYT-BGDDT, schools must implement following activities for managing, protecting, and caring for students' health:

- Conduct health checks at the beginning of the school year to assess nutritional status and health: measure height, weight for children under 36 months old; measure height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and vision for students aged 36 months and above.

- Measure height and weight, plot growth charts, and monitor physical development for children under 24 months once a month and for children aged 24 months to 6 years once a quarter; monitor body mass index (BMI) at least twice a school year to advise on proper nutrition and physical activity for school students.

- Regularly monitor students' health, detect vision reduction, spinal deformities, dental issues, mental health disorders, and other diseases to handle and refer to medical facilities as required and apply appropriate learning and training policies based on health status.

- Cooperate with qualified medical facilities to organize specialized medical examinations and treatments for students.

- Provide first aid and emergency care in accordance with the current regulations of the Ministry of Health.

- Advise students, teachers, and parents or guardians about health-related issues, physical and mental development; guide students in self-care; provide advice, support for the integration of disabled students if any.

- Organize school meals ensuring proper nutrition, diverse food, suitable for different age groups in boarding and semi-boarding schools.

- Collaborate with local health facilities to organize vaccination campaigns for students.

- Notify parents or guardians about students' health at least once a school year and when necessary. School health staff should assess students' health at the end of each grade level to track health in the subsequent levels.

- Maintain health records, monitor students' health thoroughly, and keep collective health status records.

- Regularly inspect and supervise learning conditions, school hygiene, food safety, provide drinking water, handwashing soap; proactively implement hygiene measures and disease prevention policies as prescribed.

- Implement health programs, hygiene campaigns, disease prevention activities, promote physical activity, proper nutrition, build a smoke-free environment, and restrict the use of alcoholic drinks and narcotics.