A child gets vaccinated with a dose of the Rota vaccine at a Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company (VNVC) vaccination centre. — Photo courtesy of VNVC

HÀ NỘI — UNICEF Việt Nam and the Ministry of Health have launched a campaign urging parents to vaccinate their children with two complete doses of the Rota vaccine before six months of age.

Titled 'Protect Your Baby from the First Steps', the campaign seeks to enhance public awareness, particularly among parents, about the crucial role of the Rota vaccine in preventing acute diarrhoea caused by the Rotavirus.

Rotavirus-induced acute diarrhoea is a highly contagious gastrointestinal infection that can be life-threatening for children. In Việt Nam, Rotavirus accounted for 20 to over 50 per cent of acute diarrhoea cases in young children between 2016 and 2023. Every year, hundreds of thousands of children require hospitalisation, with thousands needing emergency care.

This situation places immense pressure on the healthcare system, imposes financial burdens on families and hampers children's healthy development, especially in remote and disadvantaged areas with limited vaccine access.

The Rota vaccine has demonstrated exceptional efficacy in preventing diarrhoea caused by Rotavirus. Studies show it is 85-98 per cent effective in preventing severe diarrhoea and 74-87 per cent effective for all cases of acute diarrhoea within the first year of administration.

Successfully implemented in over 120 countries, the vaccine has significantly reduced child mortality and hospitalisation rates. Currently, Việt Nam-produced Rota vaccines ensure a sufficient supply for the national expanded programme on immunisation.

A ministerial decision issued last year mandated the inclusion of this vaccine in the expanded immunisation programme. Since 2024, the initiative has provided free vaccinations to children in 32 economically disadvantaged and mountainous provinces. As part of a phased expansion aligned with Government resolutions, the programme will extend to nine additional localities this year and achieve nationwide coverage by 2026.

The 'Protect Your Baby from the First Steps' campaign reinforces the importance of vaccinating children with two complete doses of the Rota vaccine before six months of age to prevent acute diarrhoea and support healthy growth.

Campaign messages will be disseminated through television and radio programmes, articles and social media activities, including materials written in multiple ethnic languages and videos in sign language. — VNS