Promoting the production of high-quality vaccines for public health

Producing vaccines in Vietnam will help reduce dependence on imported vaccine supplies, while contributing to improving preventive medicine capacity and minimizing the burden on the national health system."

Medical news March 19: Promoting the production of high-quality vaccines for public health

Producing vaccines in Vietnam will help reduce dependence on imported vaccine supplies, while contributing to improving preventive medicine capacity and minimizing the burden on the national health system."

Promoting the production of high-quality vaccines for public health

Pfizer Pharmaceutical Group and VNVC Vaccination System Company Limited have signed an important cooperation agreement on knowledge sharing in the field of high-quality vaccine production.

According to the memorandum of cooperation, Pfizer will support VNVC in building an international standard vaccine manufacturing plant right in Vietnam.

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VNVC's goal is to produce high-quality vaccines to not only meet domestic demand but also aim to participate in the global vaccine supply chain. This will help Vietnam become one of the proactive countries in vaccine production, contributing to disease prevention and public health protection.

Within the framework of cooperation, Pfizer will send leading experts from around the world to organize training programs and share expertise in vaccine production with the team of experts at the VNVC Vaccine and Biological Products Factory.

This is part of Pfizer's long-term strategy to develop the vaccine industry in Vietnam, while improving the quality of the domestic healthcare ecosystem.

For VNVC, the cooperation with Pfizer is an important step in the strategy of producing "Made in Vietnam" vaccines that meet international standards. This not only helps improve domestic production capacity but also helps Vietnam gradually integrate into the global vaccine supply chain.

Through cooperation with the world's leading vaccine manufacturers, VNVC is committed to developing science and technology in the vaccine and biological products manufacturing industry, enhancing the ability to self-sufficiently source high-quality vaccines to serve the Vietnamese people.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen emphasized that the cooperation between VNVC and Pfizer is an important milestone, reflecting Vietnam's efforts and commitment to developing the preventive medicine sector, especially in the context of increasing demand for vaccines and disease prevention solutions.

He also appreciated VNVC's efforts in bringing important vaccines to people, especially in mountainous and remote areas.

According to Mr. Ngo Chi Dung, Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of VNVC, the cooperation with Pfizer not only helps VNVC improve its domestic vaccine production capacity but also contributes significantly to the goal of protecting public health.

"Producing vaccines in Vietnam will help reduce dependence on imported vaccine supplies, while contributing to improving preventive medicine capacity and reducing the burden on the national health system," Mr. Dung emphasized.

The VNVC vaccination system has more than 220 vaccination points nationwide, providing nearly 50 types of vaccines to prevent infectious diseases. With its reputation and many years of experience in implementing vaccination, VNVC not only provides important vaccines but also focuses on investing in facilities such as cold storage, cold chains, and refrigerated trucks to transport vaccines that meet international standards to preserve and distribute vaccines effectively.

The partnership between Pfizer and VNVC not only benefits Vietnam but also promotes the strategic relationship between the two countries. Ms. Susan Burns, US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, said that this is a relationship that promotes prosperity and innovation for both countries.

“We believe this partnership will have a positive impact on the lives of patients and the healthcare landscape of Vietnam as a whole,” said the US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City.

Along with that, Mr. Darrell Oh, General Director of Pfizer Vietnam, affirmed that Pfizer is very pleased to support VNVC to improve vaccine production capacity, contributing to the strategy of protecting public health in Vietnam.

"We believe in VNVC's vision and ability to promote preventive medicine and healthcare for the Vietnamese community," said Mr. Darrell Oh.

The cooperation between Pfizer and VNVC marks an important milestone in the strategy to develop the vaccine manufacturing industry in Vietnam, contributing to improving vaccine quality, protecting public health, and reducing the burden on the national health system.

Thereby, VNVC not only affirms its commitment to the goal of developing "Made in Vietnam" vaccines but also contributes to improving the capacity to produce high-quality vaccines, towards the goal of domestic vaccine self-sufficiency and reaching out to the world.

UNICEF and WHO appreciate Vietnam's efforts in responding to measles outbreak

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have issued a joint statement, praising the swift and drastic measures taken by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health to respond to the current measles outbreak.

According to the latest data from UNICEF and WHO, the measles outbreak in Vietnam is still ongoing, with an increase in cases in the central and northern regions, including new outbreaks in areas that have not previously recorded cases or outbreaks.

Measles is highly contagious, and lack of immunity in many areas puts many unvaccinated or undervaccinated children at risk.

In addition, several deaths have been recorded, and UNICEF and WHO experts predict that the number of cases will continue to increase, especially in remote areas.

To prevent the spread of the disease, the two international organizations recommend implementing a nationwide vaccination campaign, ensuring that all at-risk children have access to vaccines as soon as possible.

At the same time, UNICEF and WHO also emphasized the provision of adequate treatment products, including Vitamin A, to hospitals and health facilities to support the recovery of sick children, especially in difficult and remote areas.

Under the Prime Minister’s new directive on vaccination and infection control measures, under the direction of Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, relevant agencies will expand the vaccination campaign and increase vaccine supply, not only for routine vaccination but also for epidemic response and large-scale prevention campaigns. These are important steps in the process towards measles elimination.

The national online conference on March 15, chaired by Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, is also a clear demonstration of the Government's strong commitment to addressing these public health challenges.

At the conference, Minister Dao Hong Lan called for prioritizing resource allocation, strengthening communication and community mobilization to accelerate vaccination progress, ensuring full and effective vaccination in responding to the epidemic.

UNICEF and WHO have highly appreciated the measures taken by the Government of Vietnam and committed to continue supporting Vietnam in controlling the current measles outbreak and preventing the spread of the disease.

This commitment includes developing a measles elimination strategy, specific plans to reach unvaccinated people, implementing communication activities for measles vaccination campaigns, and strengthening vaccine supply, procurement and distribution systems, including the cold chain.

With relentless efforts, Vietnam is resolutely responding to the current measles outbreak and aiming to eliminate the disease in the near future.

"Osteoporosis" disease and difficulties in treatment

Recently, doctors from the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, E Hospital, successfully performed artificial hip replacement surgery for a female patient (28 years old, in Bac Giang) suffering from "osteopetrosis", an extremely rare and dangerous disease.

This disease not only threatens the patient's health but also causes serious complications, including brittle bones, easy fractures and difficulty in movement.

Osteopetrosis is an extremely rare genetic disease, with an incidence of only about 0.005%, equivalent to 1/200,000 people.

This disease causes the inactivation of osteoclasts, leading to an imbalance between the two processes of bone formation and bone resorption, making bones dense and hard as rock, but brittle and prone to fracture.

What is special is that this disease not only affects the bones but also many other organ systems in the body such as the eyes, cardiovascular system and blood system. In particular, for patients with severe disease, they may not live past the age of 10 because the disease affects many important organ systems.

For the female patient (28 years old), the symptoms of the disease appeared since childhood. She had to live with bone and joint pain, especially hip pain, leading to difficulty walking and a limping gait.

Initial medical treatment was ineffective, forcing her to use painkillers regularly. Furthermore, she was not the only case in her family with this condition, as all three sisters in the family had been diagnosed with this genetic disease.

The total hip replacement surgery performed at E Hospital was a huge challenge for the medical team.

According to MSc. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Hieu, Deputy Head of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, patients with “osteomalacia” have to endure pain due to multiple fractures and joint deformities. This makes surgery a difficult problem, because even the smallest mistake can affect the patient’s mobility.

The surgery encountered many difficulties because the patient's bone structure was very hard and brittle, easily cracked when impacted.

Conventional surgical instruments are susceptible to wear or breakage when applied to the patient's bones, prolonging the surgical time and increasing the risk of bone fracture during and after surgery.

In particular, the treatment of the femoral bone canal, where the artificial joint will be attached, also encountered difficulties when the entire canal was filled, requiring doctors to use the canal shaping technique with the support of 3D printing technology.

Another major challenge was the shaping of the acetabulum to accommodate the artificial hip joint. Because the patient’s acetabulum was shallow and deformed, the surgeons had to completely reshape this area to ensure the artificial joint was firmly fixed, avoiding the risk of joint failure after surgery.

To solve the difficulties in surgery, doctors used surgical simulation technology on 3D models.

This method helps doctors have a visual view of the patient's complex anatomical structure, plan in detail and predict difficulties that may be encountered in actual surgery.

In addition, the use of 3D printed instruments using the PSI (Patient Specific Instrumentation) method has helped optimize each operation, increase accuracy and minimize risks during surgery. These advances in medical technology contribute to improving the success rate of surgery, ensuring maximum safety for patients.

After surgery, patients will face a long and rigorous recovery process. Doctors recommend that patients follow a special rehabilitation regimen, with exercises to restore joint range of motion and avoid strong impacts that can cause fractures or promote new fibrosis.

In particular, patients need to closely monitor their health and go to a medical facility immediately if they have signs of unusual joint stiffness, persistent pain or other serious signs to avoid the risk of the disease progressing to a more severe stage.

This successful surgery is not only an important step forward in the field of treating complex bone and joint diseases, but also brings hope to people with rare diseases such as “petrification of bones”. This is proof that the combination of advanced medical technology and a team of experienced doctors can bring about positive treatment results, helping to improve the quality of life for patients.

E Hospital is currently one of the prestigious medical facilities in the treatment and surgery of bone and joint diseases and injuries. With a team of highly specialized doctors and a system of modern equipment, the hospital has successfully performed many complex surgeries, bringing hope to many patients.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/tin-moi-y-te-ngay-193-thuc-day-san-xuat-vac-xin-chat-luong-cao-vi-suc-khoe-cong-dong-d256137.html