To protect infants from Rotavirus-caused diarrhea, UNICEF and the Ministry of Health launched the campaign, educating communities and parents about the crucial role of the Rota vaccine.
Rotavirus-induced acute diarrhea is a severe infectious disease transmitted through the digestive tract, often leading to epidemics and posing a significant risk of death in children. In Vietnam, rotavirus accounted for approximately 50 percent of acute diarrhea cases in young children between 2016 and 2023. According to the Ministry of Health, the virus causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations annually, with thousands of children requiring emergency care.
This places significant strain on the healthcare system, imposes a financial burden on families, and hinders the healthy development of young children, particularly in remote areas where access to vaccines through immunization services is limited.
Meanwhile, the rotavirus vaccine has been proven highly effective in preventing diarrhea caused by the virus. Studies show that the vaccine provides 85–98 percent protection against severe diarrhea and 74–87 percent effectiveness in preventing acute diarrhea of all levels within the first year of immunization. Successfully deployed in over 120 countries, the vaccine has a strong safety record and plays a crucial role in reducing child hospitalizations and fatalities.
According to the Ministry of Health’s Decision No. 1596/QD-BYT issued last year, Rota vaccine is included in the Expanded Immunization Program. Rota vaccine has been produced domestically to ensure supply for the Expanded Immunization Program. Starting from 2024, Rota vaccine will be provided free of charge to children in 32 mountainous and disadvantaged provinces and will gradually expand nationwide in 2025-2026.
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