Hai Duong vaccinates newborns against tuberculosis at hospital

On September 6, a representative of the Department of Health said that the unit agreed to vaccinate children against tuberculosis (BCG) after birth at Hai Duong Obstetrics Hospital and Medical Centers of 12 districts, towns and cities. The vaccination is expected to begin next October.

The Department of Health assigned the Provincial Center for Disease Control to preside over and coordinate with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and relevant units in the province to implement BCG vaccination activities at hospitals and medical centers. The units coordinate with the Provincial Center for Disease Control to arrange adequate facilities, human resources, and equipment to ensure safe and effective BCG vaccination for newborns.

For Hai Duong, after the hepatitis B vaccine, this is the second vaccine in the expanded immunization program to be administered to children within 24 hours after birth at the above medical facilities.

According to statistics from the Provincial Center for Disease Control, the BCG vaccination rate for children in the whole province in the first 6 months of 2023 reached nearly 53%, of which only over 73% of children were vaccinated within 1 month after birth. BCG vaccination for newborns is an effective measure to prevent severe forms of tuberculosis, especially children vaccinated early after birth and within the first 28 days after birth will achieve high disease prevention efficiency.