Directive No. 05/2000/CT-BYT on the urgent implementation of disease prevention and control work.

DIRECTIVE

On the urgent implementation of disease prevention and control work

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This year, floods have come early to the Mekong Delta provinces, with the highest water level recorded in Dong Thap being equal to that of the flood year 1961, which is the highest flood level in the last 40 years. The provinces suffering severe damage include Dong Thap, Long An, An Giang, Kien Giang, Can Tho, and Tay Ninh. The prolonged flooding has caused significant difficulties for the local residents' lives, with no clean water available, unsanitary living conditions, heavy environmental pollution, and deteriorating health.

The Mekong Delta is a high-risk area for diseases such as Dengue Fever, Diarrhea, Cholera, and Typhoid. Specifically, Long An Province had 483 cases of Dengue Fever in the first six months of 2000, ten times higher than the same period in 1999, and Cholera is also showing complex developments in this region.

In accordance with the Prime Minister's Directive, some localities have organized the relocation of residents to temporary shelters. However, due to poor sanitary conditions at these shelters, lack of clean water, and overcrowding, coupled with weakened health from prolonged exposure to floods, these factors facilitate the development of diseases, particularly intestinal infectious diseases.

According to the World Health Organization's announcement, there are currently outbreaks of Cholera in some provinces of Laos and Cambodia bordering Vietnam, and acute diarrhea has appeared in northern Vietnamese provinces like Nghe An, Son La, and Thai Binh. Therefore, the likelihood of Cholera entering our country is very high.

To proactively prevent and control outbreaks of acute diarrhea, Cholera, Typhoid, Dengue Fever, and other diseases, the Minister of Health issues the following directive:

I. FOR PROVINCES AFFECTED BY FLOODS

1. Timely provide emergency care for accident victims, especially those with acute diarrhea, equip small boats for healthcare workers to reach densely populated areas and temporary shelters to implement medical care activities, provincial Preventive Health Centers closely monitor diarrhea cases, and if there are multiple cases, take samples for testing to determine the cause and provide timely treatment.

2. After the floodwaters recede, organize medical teams to guide the people in handling the environment, clean up the environment as the waters retreat, collect and dispose of garbage, bury dead livestock, disinfect drinking water using Chloramine, clean wells, tanks, jars, and other water containers; educate the public to practice eating cooked food and drinking boiled water...

3. Provincial Health Departments propose manpower requirements to immediately implement disease prevention and control measures and send them to the Ministry of Health - Department of Preventive Medicine for mobilization of students from Medical Universities and Colleges in various provinces for this purpose.

4. The Expanded Immunization Program implements vaccination activities according to plans, paying special attention to administering Polio vaccine in border areas.

II. FOR OTHER LOCALITIES

1. Strictly monitor, detect early, and promptly handle cases of acute diarrhea, Typhoid, etc., especially in old epidemic zones, transportation hubs, and border gates, strictly implement Directive No. 10/1998/CT-BYT dated December 28, 1998, of the Minister of Health on epidemic reporting.

2. Regularly check the quality of clean water, particularly the residual chlorine concentration in the water supply system for consumption and daily use.

3. Rigorously inspect food hygiene and safety, focusing on restaurants and food processing establishments...

4. Organize publicity through mass media about hygiene measures and disease prevention, especially emphasizing the importance of consuming cooked food and boiled water, avoiding raw vegetables, and not using ice during epidemics, without causing panic among the public or affecting local and national economic and social activities.

5. Prepare sufficient stocks of medicines, chemicals, specialized materials, human resources, and facilities for emergency treatment from commune/district levels to province/city levels to be ready to respond when an epidemic occurs.

Upon receipt of this Directive, the Directors of Provincial Health Departments and heads of subordinate units are required to urgently disseminate it to all healthcare staff within their sectors for implementation and report the results to the Ministry.