Children with hand-foot-mouth disease are trated at Paediatrics Hospital No 1 in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Khánh Ly

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health (MoH) has sent a document asking provinces and cities to strengthen measures against hand-foot-mouth disease.

The request was released after the number of cases has increased.

The country has seen nearly 9,000 hand-foot-mouth cases and three fatalities so far this year.

The ministry recorded the presence of Enterovirus (EV71), which can cause severe illness in some cases.

To take the initiative in hand-foot-mouth disease prevention and control, minimise the number of cases and deaths, and prevent the disease from spreading, the MoH required provinces and cities to proactively coordinate with the health sector. The preventive work should focus on areas with high incidence and risk of outbreaks.

Localities must closely monitor the disease situation, detect and promptly handle outbreaks.

They should strengthen mobile teams to promptly investigate, verify and handle outbreaks when necessary.

Provinces and cities must declare the disease situation according to Circular No 54/2015/TT-BYT issued on December 28, 2015, of the MoH.

Hospitals should organise treatment classification, paying special attention to severe cases to minimise mortality, and prevent cross-contamination.

Localities should strengthen education on healthcare, organise hand-washing campaigns, and ensure enough medicines and equipment for emergency and treatment work.

More staff training should be conducted at all levels, especially for grassroots medical staff.

Local departments of information and communications, and media agencies must coordinate with the health sector to strengthen communication about hand-foot-mouth disease prevention and control.

Forms of communication should be diversified, such as on loudspeakers, leaflets, newspapers, and television programmes or in village meetings.

Education should also be given at schools, especially pre-schools.

Schools must keep classroom hygiene and environmental sanitation, provide enough clean water and ensure food safety in kitchens.

They are responsible for detecting new cases at their premises, and immediately notify local health authorities to handle outbreaks.

Local departments of finance are required to submit to provincial and municipal people's committees for granting of funds for disease prevention and control.

Inspection teams will be formed to supervise, support localities and promptly direct the work against hand-foot-mouth disease.

Medicine

After receiving a proposal from the HCM City Department of Health on supporting Immunoglobulin and Phenobarbital medicines to treat hand-foot-mouth disease when the situation was complicated, the Drug Administration of Việt Nam (DAV) under the MoH has replied.

For drugs containing Immunoglobulin, the DAV said that there are 13 drugs containing Immunoglobulin allowed to circulate in Việt Nam.

Importers’ reports said that they planned to import more Immunoglobulin drugs.

As for the Human normal immunoglobulin 100mg/ml drug imported by the Zuellig Pharma Việt Nam Company, the country has 2,344 boxes with 250ml and 215 boxes with 50ml. It is expected that in mid-August this year, the manufacturer will continue to supply Việt Nam with 2,000 boxes of 250ml.

As for the Immunoglobulin five per cent drug imported by the Duy Anh Pharmaceutical Trading Co Ltd, the Chợ Rẫy Hospital still has 300 vials in stock. It is expected that by the end of next month, the manufacturer will supply 5,000-6,000 more vials.

For Phenobarbital medicine, the country has one Phenobarbital drug manufactured by the Danapha Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company.

The DAV licensed the Central Pharmaceutical CPC1 Joint Stock Company to import the Barbit drugs, which have not yet been registered for circulation in Việt Nam, to serve special treatment.

The company's report showed that 21,000 vials of Phenobarbital 200mg/ml will reach Việt Nam early next month.

To ensure the drug supply for treatment, the DAV asked the HCM City Department of Health to come up with a plan to store and receive drugs and ensure enough drugs for treatment.

Hospitals in need should contact importers to order and prepare medicines properly.— VNS