Vietnam: Need to maintain a system to monitor influenza throughout the country - CDC To Cut Funding

January 11, 2010
Recently in Hanoi, Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology with the central Nha Trang Pasteur Institute, Pasteur Institute Ho Chai Minh, Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology Highlands, representatives of the Center for Disease Control and Infectious Disease United States (CDC) with many experts in the epidemiology workshop held national influenza surveillance from 2006 to present. Experts are evaluating the role of this system and proposed to continue to maintain. However, problems are posed when the finance 100% of the CDC will change in March to come.

"Read" evolutions of the flu season typically syndrome nationwide

The first time Vietnam has a picture of the overall situation flu syndrome (HCC) throughout the country when the influenza surveillance system was put into operation at 15 points nationally since 2006. Prof Nguyen Tran Hien - Director of Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology for the Central, from 2006 - 2009, in total more than 2,500 patients were examined, the number of HCC screening positive for influenza virus account for 21.9%. The results at 15 monitoring points in the time of HCC patients with the highest in March and September but HCC generally occurs throughout the year. This also coincides with the results of monitoring of dangerous infectious diseases 24 and in accordance with the operation of the world's flu viruses and other influenza vaccines room was used extensively worldwide. Based on monitoring results HCC during 4 years, Assoc. Nguyen Tran Hien said flu in Vietnam is not clear that occur seasonally throughout the year. Influenza virus strains circulating in our country is A/H1 influenza, and influenza B. A/H3 Depending on the areas that appear after the type, and they in turn replaced each other.

Close monitoring of new pandemic influenza A/H1N1 and ca severe pneumonia due to virus
As reported by the influenza surveillance system countries, since the influenza A/H1N1 virus appears new in the world, all the monitoring points of Vietnam was sticking evolutions intrusive Monitoring and outbreak of epidemics in both water. The first cases were discovered on May 30, 2009 in Ho. Ho Chi Minh City, then from the 28th week, the new ca influenza A/H1N1 increased continuously and dominant compared to other common types of flu. Special 39th week, a new influenza A/H1N1 constitute 95% of the total number of positive with other types of flu season. So far, this virus is still completely dominant.

Parallel to the normal seasonal influenza surveillance, the severe pneumonia cases were monitored for influenza A/H5N1 virus-related or not. From 2006 until now has 721 ca severe pneumonia associated with suspected influenza viruses, of which 112 are positive for influenza A/H5N1, 57 deaths. About the actual situation, the TS. Tran Ngoc Huu - Director of the Institute Pasteur TP. Ho Chi Minh said, in principle, avian influenza occurs first, then going out on the flu but now reality is that H5N1 cases were detected first, then process the new epidemiological investigation has that drives the bird flu.

Operating system how the CDC cut funding?

By TS. Tran Nhu Duong, Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology Central, with the assistance of CDC, we have been involved in influenza surveillance systems worldwide, this is a good opportunity to enhance professional capabilities at all all the stages of monitoring, epidemiological investigation, examination ... We never get all the supervision, as current science, although only four years of operation but greatly effective.

He Kappella - CDC experts said he appreciated the point that effective national influenza surveillance in Vietnam achieved in four years, which is built a fairly complete picture of HCC flu. Providing full information about the HCC does not only mean in terms of health (defined measures progress, building treatment guidelines, plans to use reasonable vaccine ...) but also related to economic activities - social. Vietnam will have to adjust the operation of this system when the investor 100% of the current CDC would cut from April 2010.

This information makes the professionals concerned, because if there is no funding will not be able to maintain the operation of the monitoring system as at present, so flu prevention will be very difficult because no accurate, especially when in our country, influenza A/H1N1 is translated parallel to the presence of influenza A/H5N1.

In order to maintain the monitoring system as the current influenza experts believe that should continue to be supported by the CDC, and must have taken the initiative of the internal forces. As he Kapella, gradually cutting off funding is the investment activities of the CDC guideline, they only support 80 - 100% of the first phase of the project, and then tapered off. The project will have to adapt this to match the actual situation. He said that conditions funding cuts, Vietnam needs to consider should increase or decrease the monitoring point in the near future, to review all activities to take measures to save the first and most effective.