Process of communicable disease surveillance in Vietnam

Process of communicable disease surveillance in Vietnam (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Subjects of surveillance in Vietnam

Subjects of surveillance of infectious diseases and epidemics according to Article 3 of Circular 17/2019/TT-BYT are as follows:

- Subjects of surveillance

+ Persons infected with communicable diseases, persons carrying communicable disease pathogens and persons suspected of infection with communicable diseases;

+ Infectious agents;

+ Reservoirs, vectors and risk factors of communicable diseases.

- Communicable diseases subject to surveillance shall be classified as prescribed in Article 3 of the Law on Infectious Disease Prevention and Control.

2. Forms of communicable disease surveillance in Vietnam

According to Article 4 of Circular 17/2019/TT-BYT, the communicable disease surveillance shall be categorized into the following forms:

- Indicator-based surveillance refers to an act of collecting information about specific communicable diseases by using prescribed indicators and samples. This activity shall include the following forms:

+ Routine surveillance refers to an act of regularly, continually and logically collecting basic information about communicable diseases with the help of healthcare facilities across the nation;

+ Sentinel surveillance refers to an act of regularly, continuously and logically collecting in-depth information about a number of priority communicable diseases and health events arising at several surveillance sites selected during a specified period of time.

- Event-based surveillance refers to an act of collecting information, screening and verifying warning signs from different sources, such as the public, social networks, communications networks, health authorities, agencies and networks.

3. Sites of communicable disease surveillance in Vietnam

According to Article 5 of Circular 17/2019/TT-BYT, communicable disease surveillance shall be conducted in the entire pertinent jurisdiction with particular attention paid to:

- Healthcare facilities.

- Areas for isolation of communicable diseases.

- Existing outbreak areas; preexisting outbreak areas and potential outbreak areas.

- Residential, study and work places, tourist destinations and accommodations of persons infected with communicable diseases, persons carrying communicable disease pathogens and persons suspected of infection with communicable diseases.

- Land, rail, air and water border areas.

- Areas where natural disasters or calamities occur.

4. Data of communicable disease surveillance in Vietnam

Data of communicable disease surveillance in Vietna according to Article 6 of Circular 17/2019/TT-BYT are as follows:

- As regards persons infected with communicable diseases, persons carrying communicable disease pathogens and persons suspected of infection with communicable diseases, surveillance data shall include the followings:

+ Full name, age, sex, occupation, telephone, place of residence, study and workplace; place and date of occurrence and onset of a disease; periods of disease, symptoms, analyses and treatment, health facilities giving medical care and treatment before occurrence of disease;

Information about confirmatory tests for presence of proper disease-causing agents; obstetric and immunization history and immunity status, history of domestic and overseas travel, information about history of exposure to, contact with a disease and relevant epidemiological factors;

+ Economic, cultural and social conditions at surveillance sites: living standard, lifestyle, living conditions, customs and habits, population structure, ethnic structure and sickness structure; geographical, climatic and weather conditions, including geographical regions, seasons, temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind direction and other risk factors.

- As regards agents causing communicable diseases, surveillance data shall include: strain, species, group, type, subtype, genome, genotype, biological characteristics related to antidrug, morphological, genetic change and change in mode of transmission.

- As regards vectors, surveillance data shall include:

+ Animals: quantity, contact with humans and other properties when required. In particular, if a vector is an insect, the following additional data shall include biological properties, components of vector species, surveillance indicators and sensitivity to chemicals;

+ Food: ingredients, origin, method of food processing, storage, transportation and distribution;

+ Environment: soil, water and atmosphere;

+ Others carrying agents causing communicable diseases.

- Based on communicable diseases, surveillance subjects and requirements specific to surveillance forms, surveillance units may decide on appropriate surveillance data.

5. Process of communicable disease surveillance in Vietnam

The process of communicable disease surveillance in Vietnam according to Article 7 of Circular 17/2019/TT-BYT is as follows:

- Collecting data and information.

- Analyzing data, giving interpretation and assessment of results.

- Evaluating risks and giving comments on the current status of communicable diseases.

- Recommending intervention measures.

- Making reports and sharing information.

Quoc Dat

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