The Department of Medical Service Administration under the Ministry of Health today sent a document to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health regarding the reinforcement of measles prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities.
According to the Department of Medical Service Administration, the development of measles in the southern metropolis is currently complex. To minimize measles transmission in healthcare facilities, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health urgently needs to implement effective prevention and control activities, including vaccination efforts, timely treatment to minimize severe cases.
Health authorities in HCMC must report measles cases and outbreaks promptly as per the regulations.
Hospitals must prepare and be ready for epidemic development such as developing preventive plans and responding at different scales of outbreaks. In addition, they should issue guidelines for handling confirmed or suspected cases, allocate resources, and ensure that healthcare staff have the necessary personal protective equipment. Hospitals should also promptly investigate outbreaks when the first measles case is reported.
Furthermore, healthcare workers must strictly adhere to measures for controlling measles transmission by enhancing screening activities, early detection, and timely isolation of confirmed or suspected measles cases. Mild cases or those without complications can be isolated and treated at home or at health stations. Only a few individuals should be allowed to visit measles patients, and only those who have been fully vaccinated against measles should be permitted to visit.
Healthcare workers who have been in contact with confirmed or suspected measles cases will receive support to assess their immune status and ensure complete vaccination.
Communication about measles prevention and training on screening, examination, treatment, care, and measles infection control for healthcare workers will be enhanced. Close coordination with local, regional, and national health agencies should be carried out to update information on measles and implement surveillance and disease control measures following the requirements.
Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health issued a document to all healthcare facilities in the city regarding enhancing community immunity and measles prevention strategies for high-risk children. As of August 12, some 346 measles cases have been confirmed in Ho Chi Minh City, including three fatalities in hospitals. Statistics show that 78.4 percent of measles cases are in children under 5 years old, 66 percent of children have not received the full two doses of measles vaccine, and 30 percent have an unclear vaccination history.
