Hanoi (VNA) - In 2023, the central budget will continue to beallocated  for the Ministry of Health topurchase vaccines for the expanded programme on immunisation for all localitiesnationwide, according to Resolution No.98 recently issued by the Government.

The Government assigned the ministry to guide localities inplanning and determining their vaccine needs, and organise the purchase in accordance with regulations, ensuring thrift, efficiency, promptness andsafety.

The Vietnamese expanded programme on immunisation (EPI), launched in 1981, is providing vaccines to 12 preventablediseases, namely Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio,Hib, Measles, Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis, Cholera (in high-risk areas), andTyphoid (in high-risk areas).

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), inVietnam, it is estimated that the EPI has saved 42,000 lives and prevented morethan 6.7 million childhood diseases like polio, tetanus, diphtheria, measlesand pertussis with high vaccine coverage. Official 2017 data indicated acoverage of 97% for Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), 97% for measles-containingvaccine (MCV) first dose, and 93% for MCV second dose.

Dr. Dang Thanh Huyen, deputy head of the EPI Office underthe Ministry of Health, said on July 10 that many new kinds of vaccines will beincluded in the programme in the coming time.

According to the roadmap, the vaccine against Rotavirus willbe provided in a number of localities in 2023 and the whole nation in 2024.

Meanwhile, vaccines against pneumococcal disease, cervicalcancer, and seasonal flu will be introduced from 2025, 2026 and 2030, respectively,said Huyen./.