Lack of vaccination vaccines, National Assembly deputies specifically named the responsibility of the Ministry of Health

As of May 15, vaccination facilities in Ho Chi Minh City have completely run out of DPT-VGB-HiB and DPT vaccines. Other vaccines in the expanded immunization program are in very limited quantities and are expected to run out in the next few months if no more are provided.

Like Ho Chi Minh City, many other localities such as Binh Duong, Dong Nai, An Giang, Tien Giang , Can Tho City... also have a serious shortage of vaccines.

Regarding the lack of vaccines in the expanded immunization program, Nguoi Dua Tin (NDT) had an interview with National Assembly member Pham Khanh Phong Lan - Head of the Food Safety Management Board of Ho Chi Minh City, Chairman of the Pharmacy Association, Vice Chairman of the Oriental Medicine Association of Ho Chi Minh City (National Assembly delegation of Ho Chi Minh City).

Saying no vaccines are available is dangerous.

Investor: Dear delegate, many localities have shared their concerns about running out of 5-in-1 vaccines since February, and DPT vaccines have also started to run out. In your opinion, what consequences will occur when there is a shortage of vaccines?

National Assembly Deputy Pham Khanh Phong Lan: Now, when people go to health stations, they are told that they are out of vaccines, which is very dangerous for children's health. At the same time, it also harms the national expanded immunization program.

Because, not everyone is conscious of vaccinating their children, even on the internet there are groups that live naturally… but now those who are conscious of vaccinating say that running out of vaccines is very dangerous. Meanwhile, in the world , they have solved the problem of polio, measles, diphtheria… with vaccines.

National Assembly Deputy Pham Khanh Phong Lan talks with Nguoi Dua Tin in the hallway of the National Assembly (Photo: Hoang Bich).

Investor: According to the delegate, the lack of vaccines in the expanded immunization program is very worrying. So, do we need to review the number of vaccines needed?

National Assembly Deputy Pham Khanh Phong Lan: In fact, the data and dosage of each vaccine needed are recorded every year. Next year, we just need to add the birth rate to calculate the number of vaccines we need.

In my opinion, national centralized bidding for vaccines is very beneficial, because this is a special vaccine product with few suppliers. Therefore, there is no need for separate bidding.

Bidding in large quantities will get a more favorable price, after winning the bid, the vaccine will be brought to the institutes' warehouses, meeting the standards. Next, the locality needs to plan the vaccine and then coordinate with the institutes to transport the vaccine to the locality for vaccination.

The Ministry of Health is putting out the fire

Investor: The Government Office has recently issued Notice No. 183 on the conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha at the meeting on drug procurement bidding at the Ministry of Health and localities, in which it stated that the Ministry of Health is responsible for any shortage of drugs and vaccines for expanded immunization . So, according to the delegate, what is the current responsibility of the Ministry of Health?

National Assembly Deputy Pham Khanh Phong Lan: The Government has seen the issue of running out of vaccines, so it also requires the Ministry of Health to take charge of the national bidding process to proceed normally as every year. The reason that the Ministry of Finance is transferring resources cannot be used.

And the Ministry of Health is responsible to the Government and the Prime Minister in case of shortage of drugs and vaccines in the expanded immunization program.

However, in reality, despite the Government's directive, up to this moment, I know that localities have not received any response. Along with that, the bidding for vaccines has not been carried out yet.

Currently, the Ministry of Health has not issued any official document directing that "there will be bidding" but only a move to have the Institutes collect data. Therefore, now the Ministry of Health must send a document to all places, requesting the units to conduct centralized bidding.

The source of vaccines for expanded immunization is lacking, so it is necessary to urgently bid (Photo: Huu Thang).

Investor: From the above issues, according to the Ministry of Health delegate, what needs to be done to speed up and obtain vaccines that are about to "run out"?

National Assembly Deputy Pham Khanh Phong Lan: Through this, we also need to learn from experience for next year and the following years, and not shirk responsibility. For events that we can foresee (number of children needing vaccinations, types of vaccinations, etc.), when conducting bidding or negotiating national prices, the Ministry of Health must take responsibility for this.

Just “putting out the fire” by saying “we are sending institutes to collect data” is not good, these things do not solve the problem. Therefore, we must urgently bid.

Investor: Thank you, delegates!

Need to focus on removing

In a further discussion with Nguoi Dua Tin , Dr. Nguyen Huy Hoang - Vietnam - Russia High Pressure Oxygen Center (Ministry of National Defense) said: "Recently, there was a "vaccine gap" during the Covid-19 epidemic. Because, during this period, many parents did not dare to let their children get vaccinated. It can be seen that the diseases included in the expanded immunization program mean that the diseases are very important. If not vaccinated, it will cause dangerous complications and many epidemics can occur, putting pressure on the health system. Therefore, the "vaccine gap" as well as not having enough vaccines in the expanded immunization program is a very urgent problem. I think that we need to focus on solving it, we cannot be subjective."

The Ministry of Health needs to be more proactive.

At the 2022 expanded immunization review conference in the Southern region on May 23 in Ho Chi Minh City, representatives of expanded immunization vaccine manufacturers hoped that the Ministry of Health would be more proactive in placing orders with exact quantities so that the unit would have time to prepare.

"Due to the long production time, if we want to have a stable supply, we need to have a longer-term plan, at least 2 years, or even 3-5 years, so we can be more proactive," said the manufacturer's representative .

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/thieu-vac-xin-tiem-chung-dbqh-chi-dich-danh-trach-nhiem-cua-bo-y-te-a609485.html