Health

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the outbreaks of the disease in the northern provinces of Thai Binh and Hung Yen have been quarantined. Authorized laboratories can help finding out disease, hence, prevention of disease will be better to minimize losses for breeders, the state budget and cut pollution when people have to bury dead pigs. After testing virus samples in the diseased pigs in Thai Binh and Hung Yen provinces, the department of animal health in the section No.4 had carried out its gene analysis. Analysis results showed that the viruses caused the disease in the animals in the provinces are the same as those occurring in China in 2018.By VAN PHUC - Translated by DAN THUY Tags: Eight labs ASF fatal virus Vietnam … [Read more...] about Eight labs urgently urged to find ASF fatal virus

Deputy Chief of Infectious Disease Ward in the infirmary Dr. Do Thien Hai said the ward admits over 10 flu patients a day; worryingly, three-four of them have had encephalitis after having flu. Dr. Hai said this year, more people suffer from encephalitis complications after catching flu compare to previous years. Medical workers said flu virus is spreading widely with symptoms of similar to fever caused by virus generally. Parents can take Paracetamol for flu kids to release fever with the aim to curb convulsion fits. Most children with fever can be treated at home but parent must keep an eye on them; when they experience high fever without stopping and breathing problem, parents should take them to medical clinic soon to prevent complication of encephalitis which may cause death. Regarding to measles in Hanoi, the Department of Health said that additional 78 cases of measles have been reported last week bringing total cases to 192 from the beginning of the year whereas just 22 cases … [Read more...] about Increase in cases of encephalitis due to measles, flu complications

Delegates press the button to kick off the 2019 Vietnam Medical Film Days in Hanoi on Feb 20. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Health has launched the 2019 Vietnam Medical Film Days in Hanoi as part of activities to celebrate the 64th Vietnam Physician Day on February 27. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien highlighted health issues as an attractive and endless topic for artists. “On behalf of the health sector, I have deeply appreciated efforts of documentary film artists. They have created extremely precious image annals on operation history of the Vietnamese health sector that helps doctors and health workers understand history and continue to inherit and promote the traditions and achievements of previous generations,” said Tien. During the three-day event, 10 films will be shown at the health ministry, the Hanoi Medical University, the Public Health University, and the Studio for Document and Scientific Films in Hanoi. … [Read more...] about Medical Film Days begin in Hanoi

The 100-bed Stroke International Services (SIS) Hospital was built at a cost of 500 billion VND (21.5 million USD) with state-of-the-art equipment (Photo: VNA) Can Tho (VNA) – The Stroke International Services (SIS) Hospital, the first of its kind in the Mekong Delta, was put into official operation in Can Tho city on February 20. The 100-bed hospital was built at a cost of 500 billion VND (21.5 million USD) with state-of-the-art equipment, said Tran Chi Cuong, the hospital’s director. Cooperating with international medical schools and hospitals like the US-based University of Tennessee and Erlanger Regional Stroke Centre, as well as the Canada-based University of Toronto, the SIS Hospital is expected to become a training centre for domestic and foreign hospitals in the cardiovascular and stroke field. Dr. Nguyen Huy Quang, Director of the Ministry of Health’s Legal Department, highlighted the significance of the hospital, saying it has opened up opportunities for … [Read more...] about First cardiovascular-stroke hospital in Mekong Delta operational

African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks were found at farms in Hung Yen province and some farms in Thai Binh province. Head of the Department of Animal Health Pham Van Dong said that the Ministry had asked related agencies and local administration to destroy all pigs infected with the dangerous virus and continuously disinfect the farms and premises. Moreover, health authorities must set up stations to monitor transportation, slaughter and sales of pork and pork products in the affected areas. Plus, local health animal departments must test all pigs in the jurisdiction. Mr. Dong said though the virus has entered the country but they are small outbreaks; accordingly, people should keep calm to join hands with the health sector in curb of the disease by adopting proactive measures especially biological measures. More importantly, people should not bring sick pigs out of the affected region. Health authority said consumers should not boycott pork products but buy pork meat with clear … [Read more...] about Vietnam announces African swine fever outbreaks

Based on the decree No. 115 on fines for food safety, food inspectors will strengthen, monitoring to deter evildoers from committing the violation as well as administrative reform to issue license to food business. In 2019, 12 inspection teams will be set up to supervise wholesale and retail markets citywide. In addition, the inspection teams will work with their peers from local agencies to carry out visit to business of food. Ms. Phong Lan stressed that it is scheduled that 8,187 producers, transport businesses, importers and exporters will be checked this year. According to Ms. Phong Lan, 764 of 3,967 companies the board visted in 2018 were found violate the regulation accounting for 19.25 percent. Inspectors imposed fines of VND7.4 billion ($318,896) on 694 facilities while continuing to handle others. Additionally, seven companies were suspended from operation and two others were forced to remove advertising. 36,961 kilograms of unsafe food and 233,533 substandard food in the … [Read more...] about Penalties on food safety violations to be harsher in 2019

The National Agency for Medicines (ANSM) believes that the drug fenspiride carries the risk of cardiac arrhythmia. After receiving the information that French health authorities have withdrawn the drug from the market, the Vietnamese medicine watchdog also announced to discontinue sales of syrup and tablet Pneumorel imported by Phytopharma Company used for cough treatment because of a cardiac risk. The Administration requested Phytopharma company in coordination with distributors to withdraw the medicine from retailers and wholesalers. Departments of health in cities and provinces must announced withdrawal of Pneumorel to all drug stores and infirmaries in its jurisdiction as well as supervise the withdrawal activities. The withdrawal decision of the drug must be posted in departments of health websites. Presently, France has banned the use of the drug for its cardiac risk.By NGUYEN QUOC - Translated by UYEN PHUONG Tags: Pneumoel withdrawn from Vietnam’s market due to … [Read more...] about Pneumoel withdrawn from Vietnam’s market due to cardiac risk

Director of the Department of Animal Health Pham Van Dong (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has detected African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in the northern provinces of Thai Binh and Hung Yen, unveiled Director of the Department of Animal Health Pham Van Dong on February 19. Accordingly, the AFS virus was discovered in Hung Yen’s Trung Nghia commune (Hung Yen city) and Yen Hoa commune (Yen My district), with the results of samples taken from other farms surrounding the outbreak spots still pending. Meanwhile, in Thai Binh, a number of household-based pig farms in Hung Ha district’s Dong Do commune were also found to be contaminated with the disease. The results of samples taken from nearby farms were negative. Dong said in response to the detection, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has directed the culling of all infected pigs and the crucial conduction of a cleaning process in the hotspots and high-risk locations. The transport, … [Read more...] about African swine fever outbreaks discovered in Hung Yen, Thai Binh

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Nearly 90 percent of measles cases reported in Vietnam can be traced to people who were either not vaccinated against the highly contagious virus, received no full vaccinations or had unknown vaccination status. According to the Ministry of Health, since early February, measles cases have been recorded in 43 cities and provinces nationwide, largely in the southern region, with 664 patients. The ministry said the disease would spread if no drastic countermeasures are taken. All 24 districts in Ho Chi Minh City have reported measles cases, with the majority in Binh Thanh, Thu Duc and Binh Chanh districts and District 7. The city’s Preventive Medicine Department said 987 local children were hospitalised for measles treatment between January 1 and February 10, 2019. Up to 95 percent of them were not vaccinated. Meanwhile, 53 measles cases have been found in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak since the first case was … [Read more...] about Nearly 90 percent of measles cases related to lack of vaccination

Volunteers donate their blood (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Blood reserves at the National Blood Centre under the Central Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion will only be enough to cover the next three days, warned deputy director of the institute Pham Tuan Duong. Duong said on February 18 that as of February 17, the amount of blood stored at the institute, one of the biggest blood banks in the north, had just over 2,700 units left. It seriously affects emergency treatment for patients who need blood in the north, he said. Although the blood bank was stocked up for the Lunar New Year (Tet), the prolonged holiday had depleted reserves. Duong said the institute had sent an urgent message to the Ministry of Health, the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation and provincial health departments and hospitals to inform them of the shortage and ask for temporary solutions. The institute has called for a blood donation campaign from February … [Read more...] about Blood banks face severe shortage after Tet