VietNamNet Bridge – Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien called on the mass media to strengthen communication activities on the hand-foot-mouth (HFM) disease at a press conference yesterday, Oct 25.

"HFM disease has been on the rise in Viet Nam and the region," Tien said.

"People should be made aware about HFM disease prevention measures with a focus on washing hands with soap before meal times and after using the toilet, especially mothers with children less than five years old," Tien said.

"Communication on changing community behaviour should go ahead of disease prevention measures," he said.

"A survey by the HCM City Pasteur Institute shows that about 80 per cent of children infected with HFM disease are staying at home while only 20 per cent are going to school.

The disease is increasing in the northern provinces of Thanh Hoa, Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Ha Noi, Thai Binh, Hai Duong and Yen Bai."

Tran Duc Long, Health Ministry's head of Legislation Department, said communication activities had not effectively targeted mothers and children.

The health minister said the disease was under control in Viet Nam, unlike the rest of the region. She said outbreaks HFM disease would decrease in the months to come.

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology statistics said that since the beginning of this year there had been 77,895 cases of HFM disease in Viet Nam in all 63 provinces and cities and 127 fatalities.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News