To strengthen disease prevention and control in the winter-spring season of 2023-2024 in Vietnam

To strengthen disease prevention and control in the winter-spring season of 2023-2024 in Vietnam (Internet image) 

On December 22, 2023, the Ministry of Health issued Official Dispatch 8147/BYT-DP on strengthening disease prevention and control in the Winter-Spring season of 2023-2024 in Vietnam.

To strengthen disease prevention and control in the winter-spring season of 2023-2024 in Vietnam

Currently, in the Northern region, as the winter-spring season is coming, the cold and dry monsoon weather is the cause of infectious diseases to appear and spread, especially diseases transmitted through the respiratory tract, potentially increasing the risk of infectious diseases. Endemic diseases such as dengue fever, hand, foot, and mouth disease, and some diseases that have preventive vaccines have recorded an increase in cases in many places. During Tet 2024 and the festival season at the beginning of the year, increased demand for trade and tourism, along with unusual weather changes, are favorable conditions for pathogens to spread, increasing the number of infections, especially for children with weak resistance and the elderly with underlying medical conditions susceptible to infectious diseases.

To continue proactively and effectively controlling infectious disease epidemics in the winter-spring season of 2023-2024, the Ministry of Health respectfully requests Comrade Chairman of the People's Committee of provinces and centrally run cities to pay attention and direct the following contents:

(1) Direct the People's Committees at all levels to enhance their roles and responsibilities in the prevention and control of infectious diseases; ensure funding, resources, and mobilize the participation of departments, branches, unions, and socio-political organizations in disease prevention and control; and regularly inspect, supervise, urge, and direct localities and units to deploy epidemic prevention and control activities in the area.

(2) Direct the Department of Health and medical units in the area:

- Regularly and continuously monitor and closely monitor the epidemic situation in the area, paying attention to monitoring the increase in cases of respiratory diseases and cases of severe pneumonia caused by viruses; Prepare plans to ensure medical work in all possible epidemic situations; proactively monitor and continue to effectively deploy regular and event-based monitoring to detect disease cases early at the border gate, in the community, and at medical facilities for timely treatment, control the spread, and limit cases of serious illness and death; Maintain good implementation of the expanded vaccination program. Closely coordinate with the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pasteur, and hospitals under the Ministry of Health to take samples and sequence genes to early detect new variants and pathogens, especially pathogens transmitted through the respiratory tract.

Continue to drastically implement measures to prevent and control dengue fever; regularly organize the eradication of larvae; propagandize and mobilize people to reduce unnecessary water containers, turn them over, and collect and eliminate waste. Mobilize the participation of the government, departments, branches, and unions at the grassroots level to propagate, monitor, and guide the removal of larvae and larvae in households with the message "spend 10 minutes every week to kill larvae".

- Continue to organize well and prepare patient admission and treatment plans; Strictly implement infection control and coordinate to effectively deploy line management work and improve diagnosis and treatment capacity;

- Proactively and cooperatively provide and update information on the epidemic situation and recommendations for people to comply with requirements for preventing and controlling epidemics in the winter-spring season, especially respiratory transmitted diseases; Strengthen disease prevention communication to raise awareness and change people's behavior in protecting health;

- Continue to ensure logistics, funding, drugs, vaccines, biological products, supplies, chemicals, equipment, and human resources to be ready to serve disease prevention and control according to the motto 04 on the spot.

(3) Direct the Departments of Education and Training, Agriculture, and Rural Development to coordinate closely with the Health sector to continue effectively implementing the following activities: (1) prevent disease, ensure food safety, provide enough drinking water, clean water, and regularly clean the environment at educational establishments and schools; organize propaganda, educate, and raise awareness among students, officials, and teachers about disease prevention and control measures; (2) disease prevention and control in livestock and poultry herds; monitoring and early detection of outbreaks in animals to thoroughly handle outbreaks and prevent and control diseases transmitted from animals and food to humans.

(4) Direct the Department of Information and Communications, media agencies, press, and grassroots media systems to strengthen communication activities on disease prevention and control in the winter-spring season, especially diseases transmitted through the respiratory tract; recommend and guide people to proactively implement personal disease prevention measures and change behaviors to improve health.

(5) Direct the Department of Finance to ensure funding as proposed by the Health sector and related units to meet the needs of disease prevention and control.

More details can be found in Official Dispatch 8147/BYT-DP, issued on December 22, 2023.

Ho Quoc Tuan

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