The Ho Chi Minh City Health Department conducted unannounced inspections on implementation programs for preventative measures against the hand-foot-mouth disease in District 12, on September 13.
The health officials found that preventative measures to fight the disease were lacking in many aspects, as two more deaths have been reported in the district.
There have been 53 cases of hand-foot-mouth infections in Tan Chanh Hiep Ward. The department blames parents and district medical workers of low awareness of the disease which is now seeing severe outbreaks.
Many households do not strictly follow hygiene guidelines such as disinfecting floors and toys.
Pham Khanh Phong Lan, deputy director of the city Health Department said that the environment in some areas of District 12 is so polluted, not only causing high risk of hand-foot-mouth disease but also for dengue fever.
During the first week of September, the Ministry of Health set up 17 inspection teams to check on and constantly monitor the anti-hand-foot-mouth disease program being conducted in 30 major cities and provinces across the country. The program also demanded distribution of nearly 18 tons of Chloramine B and chemical spray to affected localities, in particular to the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City and the city of Nha Trang in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa.
