Under this year’s plan, coverage for all vaccines in the programme must reach at least 95 per cent. Hepatitis B vaccination for newborns within 24 hours of birth and full tetanus vaccination for pregnant women must reach at least 90 per cent.
However, reports from national hygiene and epidemiology institutes and Pasteur institutes showed that vaccination rates for several vaccines in many localities were behind schedule by the end of June.
For tuberculosis vaccination among children under one, 30 of the country’s 34 provinces and cities were at risk of missing their first-half targets. Only Quang Ninh, Dong Thap, Dien Bien and Hanoi were considered on track.
For the hepatitis B birth dose, only Quang Ninh, Hung Yen and Hanoi were on course to meet their targets.
Meanwhile, 25 localities were at risk of missing the target for the third dose of the five-in-one DPT-HepB-Hib vaccine.
Polio vaccination also remained below target in many areas. Only four localities were on track for the third dose of the oral polio vaccine, while six were expected to meet the target for the second dose of the inactivated polio vaccine.
Thirty localities risked missing rotavirus vaccination targets, 27 for measles and 16 for measles-rubella, while 15 were behind schedule for the fourth DPT dose against diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus.
In response, the Ministry of Health has asked provincial and municipal authorities to accelerate vaccination, particularly for vaccines where coverage is lagging.
Local health departments were instructed to review funding and staffing needs and urgently check children’s vaccination records when they enter preschools and primary schools, providing catch-up doses where necessary.
Children who miss scheduled vaccinations should receive catch-up doses as soon as possible, preferably within the same month, while authorities were urged to ensure no eligible child is missed.
The ministry highlighted polio and measles vaccination amid continued polio cases in some Southeast Asian countries and ongoing measles cases across Vietnam.
Localities were also told to strengthen training for vaccination staff, ensure facilities comply with vaccine management and safety requirements, and improve data quality in the National Immunisation Information System.
The ministry called for closer coordination between health authorities and other agencies to identify and manage eligible recipients and promote public awareness of vaccination.
