Under-12 children in Quang Ninh to receive COVID-19 vaccination on April 14
The first Moderna COVID-19 vaccine lot for children from 5 to under 12 years old, which arrived in Vietnam on April 8, will be administered to sixth-grade students in the northern province of Quang Ninh on April 14, according to Assoc Prof. Dr. Duong Thi Hong, Vice Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE).
Hanoi (VNA) – The first Moderna COVID-19 vaccine lot forchildren from 5 to under 12 years old, which arrived in Vietnam on April 8,will be administered to sixth-grade students in the northern province of Quang Ninh on April 14, according to AssocProf. Dr. Duong Thi Hong, Vice Director of the National Institute of Hygieneand Epidemiology (NIHE).
Speaking at a press conference on April 13, Hong said that the vaccines, donated by the Australian Government,will be transported to other localities for the vaccination of childrennext week.
She advised parents to fully inform medical staff on the healthconditions of their children to ensure safety, while closely monitoring thechildren’s health after vaccination.
The Ministry of Health has approved Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children from 5 to under 12, who will receive two shots of the same kind, with the second shot injected fourweeks after the first one. The dosage will be 2ml for Pfizer and 0.25ml forModerna.
Prof. Dr. Phan Trong Lan, Director of the Health Ministry’s Departmentof Preventive Medicine said that Vietnam has 11.8 million children aging from 5to under 12, of whom about 8.2 million have yet to be infected withCOVID-19. He said the children are expected to receive full two shots by the end of the secondquarter of this year.
About 3.6 million children who recovered from COVID-19 willreceive COVID-19 vaccine shots three months after their recovery, said Lan.
Earlier on March 31, the Ministry of Health approved theinjection of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children from 5 to under 12 yearsold./.
Vietnam’s health authorities announced they have expanded the emergency use authorisation for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (Spikevax) to include children from 6 to under 12 years old.
All the three COVID-19 vaccine candidates Vietnam is developing are currently in the stage of clinical trials, and if they are qualified as assessed by the ethics and advisory councils, the Ministry of Health (MoH) will grant licenses, an official has said.
Ho Chi Minh City is to vaccinate all children aged 5 to 12 against COVID-19 by this September, according to an urgent plan by the municipal People’s Committee on the work.
The first nearly one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for children aged five to 12, financed by the Australian government, are expected to arrive in Vietnam on April 9.
Vice Chairman the Hanoi People’ Committee Chu Xuan Dung has requested related units to prepare necessary conditions for the vaccination of children aged from 5 to 11.
Vietnam now boasts a nationwide healthcare network with 1,665 hospitals, 384 of which are non-public, supported by local commune- and ward-level stations. At the end of 2024, hospital bed capacity reached 34 per 10,000 people, slightly above the global average.
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Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Vu Trung, Director of the Pasteur Institute, said that under the MoU, the two sides committed to promoting diverse and practical collaborative activities, including joint conferences and workshops, exchanges of scholars, researchers and students, sharing academic materials, and the development of specific programmes and projects in scientific research, training, and epidemic prevention.
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An estimated 7 million Vietnamese are currently living with diabetes, but about 50% remain undiagnosed, a dangerous gap that is fuelling serious, preventable complications and increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
In 2024, Vietnam achieved 99% coverage for the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine, up from 80% in 2023. Immunisation coverage in the country has not only rebounded to the high levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic but has now surpassed the rates recorded in 2019.
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The Hanoi ceremony highlighted efforts to ensure all citizens, especially women and youth, can access accurate information and healthcare services to make informed reproductive choices.
After such a long time, the law has revealed many limitations, prompting the Ministry of Health (MoH) to gather opinions to amend the law to give more chances to thousands of patients every year.
Currently, cardiovascular specialists from the 108 Military Central Hospital are working alongside a team of Prof.Dr. Jan D. Schmitto, Deputy Director of MHH’s Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery on clinical trials for MCS devices, implanted in heart failure patients either as a bridge to transplantation or as permanent treatment.
The centre not only serves residents living on the island, but also receives tens of thousands of visitors every year, according to Assoc Prof Dr Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the HCM CIty Department of Health.
Not only does Vietnam attract international tourists with its landscapes, culture, and cuisine, but it is also gradually becoming a reliable destination for medical treatment, offering high-quality services at reasonable costs.
Over the past six months, 150 communal health stations in provinces including Ha Giang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Tay Ninh, Hau Giang, Ben Tre and Ca Mau have been equipped with information technology systems. In addition, 117 key provincial healthcare workers have received training, with thousands more expected to follow.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Ministry of Health swiftly launched a telemedicine programme, connecting more than 1,000 medical establishments nationwide. The model, which remains in operation, has benefited tens of thousands of patients, including foreign nationals.
After more than three weeks of intensive treatment, the patient's pneumonia improved, breathing stabilised, sedation was reduced, and the breathing tube was removed. He is now conscious, able to eat orally, and in recovery.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) 
