Đắk Lắk launches vaccination campaign for 7-year-old children

Vaccination against tetanus and diphtheria is the most effective method of preventing the diseases. — Illustrative Photo yte.daklak.gov.vn

ĐẮK LẮK — All second-grade students in the 2024-25 academic year and seven-year-old children not attending school in the 15 districts, towns and cities in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk will receive a dose of the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine starting this month.

An estimated 27,188 children are expected to be vaccinated during the campaign.

Those attending school will receive their vaccinations on-site, while unenrolled children will be immunised at local health stations.

Mobile vaccination teams will be deployed to remote or difficult-to-reach areas.

The move came after the provincial Health Department issued a plan to implement the tetanus-diphtheria vaccination as part of the Expanded Immunisation Programme across the province.

The initiative aims to increase herd immunity against tetanus and diphtheria to proactively prevent outbreaks and reduce mortality rates in high-risk areas.

Tetanus and diphtheria are both serious infectious diseases.

Tetanus is an acute infectious disease caused by the tetanus bacillus, primarily transmitted through damaged skin and mucous membranes.

Children under five and older adults are particularly susceptible to severe illness, with mortality rates ranging from 30 to 50 per cent, and newborns face an extremely high risk of death.

Diphtheria, on the other hand, is an acute bacterial infection caused by the diphtheria bacterium.

While it commonly affects young children, adults can also contract the disease if they lack immunity.

Diphtheria primarily affects the nose and throat and spreads mainly through respiratory droplets from direct contact or indirectly through contaminated objects, clothing or food.

The disease can lead to serious complications and may be fatal due to cardiovascular collapse.

Vaccination against tetanus and diphtheria is the most effective method of preventing the diseases.— VNS