Ministry preparing response plans for monkeypox

Illustrative image (Photo: The Ministry of Health)

Hanoi – The Ministry of Health (MoH) on August 1 held an online training session to guide medical facilities nationwide on the diagnosis and treatment of monkeypox in the context that the number of the cases worldwide is topping 22,000.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Truong Son underlined the need to make careful preparations for responding to monkeypox, saying that although no cases of monkeypox had been recorded in Vietnam, the risk of this disease entering the country is very high.

He requested health facilities to prepare necessary conditions for preventing the disease, including clinical-based early detection, sourcing diagnostic tests to proactively detect cases early for timely quarantine and treatment.

Son also emphasised the necessity to promote communications activity to raise public awareness of signs of illness; and strengthen training for medical examination and treatment establishments at all levels towards taking effective and timely measures to prevent monkeypox infections at medical facilities and ensuring effective quarantine and treatment.

Nguyen Luong Tam, deputy director of the Department of Preventive Medicine under the MoH, said the ministry is currently developing guidelines for monitoring monkeypox cases in Vietnam and reactivating the border quarantine system.

Nguyen Trong Khoa, Vice Director of the Department for Medical Examination and Treatment under the MoH, said the ministry has developed a plan to respond to emergency situations, adding scenarios to deal with this disease have also been taken into account by the health ministry.

On July 23, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared monkeypox a global public health emergency due to its rapid transmission rate and the risk of its spread further to other countries.

The world has recorded over 22,000 cases. An increase in the number of cases, including in countries and territories in the Western Pacific region have been posted.