Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has instructed People’s Committees of cities and provinces to immediately issue instructions on the prevention and control of monkeypox.
Supervision should be tightened at border gates and among the community. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has instructed People’s Committees of cities and provinces to immediately issue instructions on the prevention and control of monkeypox.
The PM made the request in Dispatch No. 680/CD-TTg dated August 1, 2022, signed by Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam.
Supervision should be tightened at border gates and among the community, the PM said, stressing that drugs, equipment, human resources and finance should be available for the implementation of preventive measures and patient treatment.
He urged municipal and provincial People’s Committees to put forth plans and scenarios, organise training courses for health workers, diversify communication methods, and establish hotlines.
The Ministry of Health should keep a close watch on the situation to take suitable measures and quickly deal with monkeypox clusters, with attention paid to health workers and vulnerable groups, according to the dispatch.
The ministry was also asked to set out a plan in response to the disease, perfect professional guidelines, improve its testing and diagnosis capacity, and instruct and inspect localities in monkeypox prevention and control.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should coordinate with the health sector and agencies to prevent infection from wild animals.
The PM requested the Ministry of Information and Communications, Vietnam Television, Radio The Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Nhan dan (People) newspaper and other press agencies to coordinate closely with the health ministry.
The Ministry of Finance needs to ensure funding for monkeypox prevention and control, the leader said, asking relevant associations and organisations to coordinate with all-level authorities to encourage people to join activities to prevent the disease in line with guidelines issued by the health ministry./.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) will continue to share information with Vietnam on developments of monkeypox and support the country in the prevention and control of the disease, Dr. Socorro Escalante, Acting WHO Representative in Vietnam told the media on July 26.
Ho Chi Minh City has proposed the Ministry of Health permit it to impose health declaration on arrivals in local ports of entry to early detect suspected cases of monkeypox.
It would not surprise if monkeypox was reported in Vietnam since the country has reopened its borders. A readiness plan is in order, stated an official of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vietnam.
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Supervision should be tightened at border gates and among the community. (Photo: VNA) 
