Dong Nai steps up polio vaccination and prevention and control measures

In a proactive and timely move to prevent and control polio and safeguard the achievements already made in the province, Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee has issued a directive requiring all levels, sectors, mass organizations, localities, and people across the province to intensify the rigorous implementation of disease prevention and control measures.

Children receive vaccines under the Expanded immunization program at Trang Dai Ward Health Station, Dong Nai Province. Photo: Bich Nhan

This directive is implemented in line with the Prime Minister’s official dispatch on stepping up polio vaccination and prevention and control measures nationwide.

Under the directive, departments, agencies, sectors, mass organizations, and offices and units are required to strengthen leadership and direction, and to disseminate polio prevention and control tasks to officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers. At the same time, communications and public outreach must be intensified to encourage residents to proactively apply preventive measures, avoiding complacency or negligence in epidemic prevention and control.

The Provincial People’s Committee has assigned the Department of Health to intensify direction and support for affiliated units and vaccination facilities in delivering polio vaccines; accelerate catch-up doses for children; strengthen surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and environmental surveillance in high-risk areas; promptly investigate and contain any outbreaks; update information; issue disease prevention recommendations; and coordinate with relevant agencies and units in carrying out communications work.

In addition, the Department of Health is tasked with organizing training sessions and updating knowledge for health workers; reviewing and ensuring adequate resources to remain ready for all outbreak scenarios; establishing inspection and supervision teams to support lower-level health units; and acting as the focal point for monitoring, consolidating, reporting, and advising the Provincial People’s Committee on polio prevention and control efforts across the province.

The education sector is required to further direct schools and educational institutions to implement polio prevention measures in accordance with guidance from the health sector; coordinate efforts in mobilizing families to ensure children are fully vaccinated on schedule, and review students’ immunization histories to conduct catch-up vaccinations as prescribed.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television, is tasked with delivering full and accurate information on the disease situation; recommending that families have their children vaccinated fully and promptly, and proactively preventing and addressing misinformation related to polio.

People’s Committees of communes and wards are asked to closely monitor local disease situation, strengthen inspection and supervision, direct local health stations to review and administer catch-up doses for children, update information, ensure resources, step up communications, organize inter-sector inspection, and promptly report to the Provincial People’s Committee for direction and response.

By Diec Quyen – Translated by Quynh Giao, Thu Ha