Vietnam makes great progress in improving childhood vaccination rates

WUENIC data shows the key role of government, domestic finance and primary health care in achieving the global immunization target by 2030. (Photo: UNICEF)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF's recently released World Immunization Coverage (WUENIC) estimates for Vietnam, Vietnam will achieve a 99% vaccination rate for the first dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis in 2024, up from 80% in 2023. The vaccination coverage rate in Vietnam will not only recover to the high level before the Covid-19 pandemic but will also be higher than the vaccination rate in 2019.

Accordingly, the number of children who have not received any doses of vaccine, also known as the “zero dose” group, has decreased from 274,000 in 2023 to just 13,000 in 2024, equivalent to a reduction of more than 95%. This significant reduction shows that more Vietnamese children are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.

By 2024, Vietnam will have a vaccine coverage rate higher than the global average thanks to strong leadership from the Government , timely vaccine supply, and tremendous efforts from health workers, parents and communities.

According to Dr Jennifer Horton, WHO Deputy Representative in Viet Nam, these figures are evidence of the health sector’s efforts to boost vaccination coverage after the pandemic and during the 2024-2025 measles outbreak. Nearly 1.3 million children were vaccinated during the 2024-2025 measles vaccination campaign.

“These encouraging figures from Viet Nam are a tribute to the thousands of health workers who have worked day and night to restore immunization services after a prolonged disruption due to the pandemic and vaccine shortages. We are grateful to health workers for their hard work in ensuring the health and safety of children across the country,” Dr. Jennifer Horton emphasized.

“This achievement strongly reflects Viet Nam’s steadfast commitment to child health and the strength of its primary health care system,” said Dr. Nguyen Huy Du, Acting Chief of Child Survival and Development, UNICEF Viet Nam.

“With 1.8 million children in the East Asia -Pacific region still unvaccinated, Vietnam’s success sends a clear message: with strong political will, timely and adequate provision of vaccination materials, out-of-office vaccination and community engagement, vaccination for all children is entirely possible,” said Dr. Nguyen Huy Du.

Vietnam also recorded a 32% increase in the proportion of children vaccinated with three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine, reaching 97% in 2024, up from 65% the previous year. This not only shows improved access to vaccines but also shows close adherence to completing the full vaccination schedule.

In addition, coverage of the first dose of measles vaccine also increased significantly, from 82% in 2023 to 98% in 2024, helping to protect more children from one of the most contagious infectious diseases.

However, Vietnam still faces many challenges. There are still 40,000 children who have not received the third dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine and 27,000 children who have not received the first dose of the measles vaccine.

Unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children are due to a number of factors, including geographical barriers, limited access to services in remote or underserved areas, and the lingering effects of Covid-19 on health systems.

To address the challenges, the Government should encourage private healthcare services to participate in routine immunization. Local governments should be supported to implement appropriate immunization strategies to reach the most vulnerable populations.

WHO and UNICEF call on governments to continue efforts to accelerate catch-up vaccination of children, especially in hard-to-reach communities. Even small gaps in vaccine coverage can lead to dangerous outbreaks and put additional pressure on health systems.

Hai Yen

Source: https://nhandan.vn/viet-nam-dat-duoc-nhieu-tien-bo-trong-viec-nang-cao-ty-le-tiem-chung-cho-tre-em-post894151.html