Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City are concerned about the risk of concurring measles, COVID-19, and dengue fever outbreaks given the city’s ongoing shortage of measles and DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus) vaccines.

Ho Chi Minh City is running out of measles and DPT vaccines – both of which are included in the free-of-charge expanded program on the immunization of children, the municipal health department reported to the People’s Committee and the Ministry of Health on Wednesday.

The city needs more than 8,000 doses of each of these two vaccines every month, according to the health department.

However, the metropolis has received zero additional supplies from the health ministry after making consecutive requests in June, August, and earlier this month due to problems in storage procedures.

This shortage, combined with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, has put the rate of measles vaccinations in the city lower than the national target of 95 percent.

As of August, only 75.3 percent of babies born in the city in 2020 and 83.6 percent of children born in 2019 had received two doses of measles vaccine, presenting a 19.7 and 11.4 percentage points below target, respectively.

Notably, only 79.9 percent of children born in 2021 had been jabbed with the first dose of measles vaccine, marking a 15.1 percentage point behind target.

Meanwhile, measles outbreaks occur once every four years in Ho Chi Minh City, most recently in 2018-19, according to statistics. 

These factors have prompted health authorities to fear the risk of a measles re-emergence coincident with the existing COVID-19 pandemic and dengue fever outbreak in the city.

The municipal health department thus directed ward- and commune-level medical stations to prioritize the remaining amount of vaccine for children that have not been vaccinated against measles.

It also advised people to implement general preventive measures against infectious diseases.

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