[Audio] Hai Duong lacks vaccines for expanded immunization

Many people wait to register for vaccinations for their children at Duc Minh Vaccination and Nutrition Consulting Center.

Still... waiting

The shortage of expanded immunization vaccines has lasted for a while. By March this year, Hai Duong had run out of the “5 in 1” vaccine against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis B, pneumonia/meningitis caused by Hib bacteria (DPT-VGB-Hib). By April, the vaccine against diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus (DPT) was also out because the Ministry of Health had no more to supply…

Some types of vaccines are still being supplied by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, but are expected to be unavailable in the coming months if the supply continues to be disrupted, including: tuberculosis (BCG), hepatitis B, oral polio (OPV), measles, measles - rubella, Japanese encephalitis B (expected to be supplied until the end of July); tetanus, injectable polio (IPV) (expected to be supplied until the end of December).

The lack of vaccines has greatly affected the goals that Hai Duong has set. According to the latest report of the provincial Center for Disease Control (CDC Hai Duong), since the beginning of the year, only 21.85% of children under 1 year old in the province have been fully vaccinated, while the target is 32%. This rate in some localities in the province is even below 20%. The vaccination rate against many other diseases has not met the plan and is lower than the same period last year.

Mr. Hoang Van Huynh, Deputy Director of CDC Hai Duong, informed that last March, CDC Hai Duong sent a document to the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology reporting on the progress of vaccine supply and use as well as raising difficulties, obstacles, and recommendations related to the Expanded Immunization Program. On May 16, the Department of Health sent an official dispatch to the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology registering the need for expanded vaccination in 2023 and the first 6 months of 2024. Hai Duong proposed to be provided with 51,808 doses of various vaccines to implement the expanded immunization program in the remaining time of 2023 and the first 6 months of 2024.

The Ministry of Health is still trying to find a solution to address the shortage of vaccines for expanded immunization. However, it is still unclear when vaccines will be supplied stably again to fully meet demand.

Centralized supply proposal

Starting this year, the Ministry of Finance will not allocate central budget for the Ministry of Health to purchase vaccines for expanded immunization. The People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities will allocate local budgets and other legally mobilized sources to implement the procurement and supply of drugs and vaccines.

Arranging funding to purchase vaccines is probably not too difficult for Hai Duong. However, organizing the procurement is not simple. Mr. Hoang Van Huynh said that according to Circular 15/2020/TT-BYT dated August 10, 2020 of the Ministry of Health on promulgating the "list of drugs for bidding, list of drugs for centralized bidding, list of drugs subject to price negotiation", bidding for vaccine purchase is not on the list implemented by localities. Letting localities implement funding approval, organize bidding, purchase, and supply vaccines themselves will take a lot of time because they have to submit to competent authorities for approval of funding and bidding for vaccine purchase (expected to take 4-6 months). This will cause the supply and use of vaccines to be interrupted, resulting in the vaccination rate for children not meeting the requirements, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.

Hai Duong needs 51,808 doses of various vaccines to implement the Expanded Immunization Program in the last months of 2023 and the first 6 months of 2024.

The annual vaccine budget submitted to local authorities for budget approval will not be accurate because it is impossible to predict the number of children receiving vaccination services and population fluctuations. Therefore, it may lead to a surplus or shortage of vaccines. From 2022 onwards, the Ministry of Health will preside over the procurement and supply of vaccines to ensure management and coordination among localities. If provinces and cities are allowed to purchase vaccines themselves, it will be difficult to regulate vaccines among localities because prices and types of vaccines among places are not consistent. Because there are no guidelines on criteria for types of vaccines that can be used in the Expanded Immunization Program, it will be difficult to develop a vaccine purchase budget.

Some health management officials in Hai Duong believe that the best solution is for the central government to allocate budget for the Ministry of Health to bid and centrally allocate vaccines. The time to carry out the process will be much shorter than letting the provincial level bid and purchase on its own.

Service vaccination room still has vaccines

In the context of a shortage of some vaccines, the Hai Duong health sector encourages families with means to take their children to licensed and qualified vaccination service facilities for vaccination. After vaccination, families need to notify the local health station to update the national vaccination software.

On the morning of June 15, Duc Minh Vaccination and Nutrition Consulting Center - Facility 1 on Nguyen Luong Bang Street and Safpo Vaccination Service Room at 18 Thanh Nien Street (Hai Duong City) had many people bringing their children to get vaccinated.

A representative of Duc Minh Vaccine and Nutrition Consulting Center informed that the unit's vaccine quantity still meets demand, is not scarce, and the price has not changed compared to before.

Hai Duong province currently has about 40 licensed vaccination service facilities. Representatives of some facilities said that recently the number of children coming to get vaccinated has increased by 20-30% compared to February.

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