Deputy Minister of Health speaks out about lack of expanded immunization vaccines

Responding to questions about the shortage of expanded immunization vaccines and the Ministry of Health's solutions in the coming time, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, Deputy Minister of Health, said that the expanded immunization program is fully funded by the state and has been implemented nationwide since 1985, aiming to provide free vaccination services for children and pregnant women.

The number of vaccines has increased over time, from 6 types of vaccines in 1985 to now 10 types of vaccines against dangerous infectious diseases, providing free vaccinations for children and pregnant women in the national expanded immunization program.

“Recently, the Ministry of Health has resolutely directed local units and sectors to implement activities to ensure vaccine supply in the expanded immunization program,” said Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Lien Huong.

In 2023, implementing the budget law, provinces and cities will proactively carry out procedures for purchasing vaccines from local budgets. However, many places reported difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process.

Localities proposed that the Ministry of Health will be the focal point to purchase vaccines and distribute them nationwide.

In response to practical needs and the implementation of Resolution 99 of the National Assembly on continuing to allocate the central budget to continue implementing the national expanded immunization program to ensure consistency and effectiveness nationwide, the Ministry of Health, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, reported to the Government and the Prime Minister to issue Resolution No. 98/NQ-CP dated July 10, 2023, Decision No. 931/QD-TTg dated August 5, 2023, allocating funds for the Ministry of Health to centrally purchase vaccines.

For vaccines that can be produced domestically (10 types of vaccines), the Ministry of Health has reviewed legal regulations and purchased them by order.

To date, the Ministry of Health has sent the maximum price plan to the Ministry of Finance for review and approval. On that basis, the Ministry of Health will approve the specific price plan (expected to be completed in December 2023) and assign the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology to sign contracts with vaccine production units to receive vaccines and immediately distribute them to localities.

For the 5-in-1 vaccine that must be imported, the Ministry of Health assigned the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology to conduct the procurement through open domestic bidding in accordance with the provisions of the Bidding Law.

While waiting for the completion of procurement procedures, the Ministry of Health has proactively sought aid and vaccine funding from international and domestic organizations for the Expanded Immunization Program.

At the end of August 2023, with aid and funding from WHO, UNICEF and other organizations, the Ministry of Health received 258,000 doses of 5-in-1 vaccine. The Ministry of Health (National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology) allocated this number of vaccines and instructed localities to vaccinate children in the expanded immunization program in September-October 2023.

The Australian Government will provide Vietnam with 490,600 doses of the 5-in-1 vaccine, which is expected to arrive in Vietnam in December 2023.

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and the Expanded Immunization Program have issued documents guiding provinces on supplementary and sweep vaccinations for localities.

The Ministry of Health has been directing relevant units to make plans for vaccine supply in 2024 to ensure timely vaccine supply; directing localities to be proactive in monitoring, detecting epidemics and responding and implementing measures to vaccinate high-risk groups in epidemic areas to contain and prevent the spread of the disease.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Lien Huong added that to solve the fundamental and long-term problem, the Ministry of Health is coordinating with relevant ministries and branches to amend Decree No. 104/2016/ND-CP dated July 1, 2016 of the Government regulating vaccination activities, which allows the central budget to ensure funding for purchasing vaccines for the expanded vaccination program.