Cities and provinces in Vietnam have completed the first phase of the national measles-rubella vaccination campaign, with more than 9.5 million children receiving free shots, state media reported. The campaign, launched by the Ministry of Health nationwide on Oct 11, aims to vaccinate 23 million children aged between one and 14 by next February in order to raise the measles-rubella vaccination rate for children at this age group to 95%. The second phase is being held between November and December while the third will take place from January to February, 2015. As of May 27, the measles vaccination ratio in Vietnam was 96.1% on average. Measles remains a threat in Vietnam, with thousands of children in 61 out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide infected and more than a hundred of them died in the first months of 2014. (Vietnam News Nov 26)
