Health

Hai Duong still lacks some types of vaccines for expanded immunization

DAWN • September 29, 2023 19:00

According to the provincial Center for Disease Control, in September, Hai Duong still lacked 4 types of vaccines in the Expanded Immunization Program.

*Many families take their children to vaccination service facilities amid shortages of some vaccines in the Expanded Immunization Program.*

These are OPV vaccine (to prevent polio), tetanus, hepatitis B and DPT-VGB-Hib SII (to prevent diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis B, pneumonia/meningitis caused by Hib bacteria).

In addition, since April, Hai Duong has been lacking DPT vaccine (to prevent diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus) because the vaccine warehouse of the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology has run out.

Due to the lack of vaccines, in the first 8 months of this year, only nearly 58% of children under 1 year old in the whole province were fully vaccinated. The vaccination rate for many diseases has not met the plan and is lower than the same period last year.

The shortage of vaccines in the Expanded Immunization Program only occurs in public health facilities. The amount of vaccines to prevent diseases for children at service vaccination facilities is still abundant.

DAWN