Vietnam's Free Vaccines for Young Children: Is It Enough?

While Vietnam's national immunization program offers essential protection for young children, experts suggest it may not be sufficient to shield them from all circulating pathogens. Parents are urged to consider additional voluntary vaccinations for comprehensive immunity. Phương Lan, a 29-year-old mother, expressed concern about whether her 4-year-old child, attending kindergarten, has received all necessary free vaccinations. The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in Vietnam provides a crucial foundation against dangerous infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, Japanese encephalitis, and Hib infections. However, experts note that many important vaccines are not yet included in the EPI. Young children, especially those in group settings like kindergartens, are at a higher risk of contracting various infectious diseases due to close contact with peers. Therefore, relying solely on free vaccinations might not guarantee complete protection against all prevalent disease agents. Parents are advised to combine full adherence to the EPI schedule with proactive voluntary vaccinations to ensure their children are more comprehensively protected. This includes vaccines for seasonal influenza (requiring annual boosters), chickenpox, meningococcal disease, pneumococcal disease (15 or 20 valent), hepatitis A, and dengue fever. For children aged 9 and above, the HPV vaccine is recommended for early protection against viruses that can cause certain cancers. To determine if a child is adequately protected, parents should consult a doctor at a vaccination center with their child's immunization records. Catch-up vaccinations are usually administered based on the child's age and vaccination history, rather than starting over. Kindergarten-aged children are among the groups requiring immunization record reviews and supplementary vaccinations, in line with Government Decree 165/2026/NĐ-CP, effective July 1, 2026. The VNVC vaccination system, with nearly 300 centers nationwide, offers free assistance to parents in checking immunization histories and issuing vaccination certificates. Information source: VnExpress