Immediate allocation of vitamin A in the treatment of measles patients

According to the Ministry of Health , in the guidelines for monitoring, diagnosing, treating and preventing measles, vitamin A supplementation for supportive treatment of eye-related diseases and malnutrition is necessary.

To support the treatment of measles patients, in the face of the increasing measles epidemic, the Ministry of Health has just sent an official dispatch to the Department of Health of 63 provinces and cities regarding the use of vitamin A in the treatment of measles in children.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health stated that in the guidelines for monitoring, diagnosing, treating and preventing measles, vitamin A supplementation for supportive treatment of eye-related diseases and malnutrition is necessary.

The Ministry of Health requests the Department of Health of provinces and cities to direct the provincial and municipal disease control centers to immediately allocate 100,000 units of vitamin A capsules and 200,000 units currently in stock after the end of the first phase of the 2024 Vitamin A Supplementation Campaign for Children to medical facilities that admit and treat children with measles in the area; strengthen communication on measles prevention measures for the people, including the role of vitamin A in treating measles and preventing dry eye complications of the disease.

Regarding ensuring medicine for measles patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong assigned the Drug Administration to urgently coordinate with import enterprises to ensure adequate supply for hospitals, preventing shortages of medicine and vaccines.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health also requested the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health to consider coordinating and providing high-dose vitamin A to medical facilities for measles treatment; continue to proactively ensure adequate medicine, equipment, and medical supplies to prevent epidemics.

In particular, hospitals need to proactively contact and promptly report to the Department of Health and the Department of Drug Administration in case of needing information related to licensed drugs or in case of needing to provide timely drugs to treat patients.

MINH KHANG