BANGKOK, June 7 (TNA) – The National Health Security Office (NHSO) approved to give 100,000 doses of MMR vaccine to the Department of Disease Control (DDC) in order to stop the spread of measles.
Dr. Piyasakol Sakolsatthayathorn, Public Health Minister said the NHSO board meeting had agreed to provide the 22 – million –baht MMR vaccine, which protects against three diseases including measles, mumps and rubella to the DDC.
This lot of vaccines will be used to eradicate measles in the country in the 2019 fiscal year.
In 2018, there were 2,925 measles cases with three deaths.
The increase in the prevalence of measles has been found in three southern border provinces among children under the age of five, who were not fully vaccinated and the elderly living in crowded residential areas.
The MMR vaccines will be delivered in late August to reach vulnerable groups in order to achieve the World Health Organization (WHO)’s goal to get rid of measles in 2020,
The Budget Bureau allocated 54.15 million baht for the vaccine procurement but it did not fully cover the entire cost.
The NHSO was asked to provide the remaining budget of 22 million baht to give the vaccines to the DDC. (TNA)
