There is enough stock of rabies vaccines to meet demand in the country, the Drug Administration of Viet Nam has said.

The Drug Administration of Viet Nam has rejected reports of a shortage of rabies vaccines. 

The announcement follows reports from many hospitals and medical centres in HCM City last week that they face a shortage.

The administration said two kinds of rabies vaccines are imported, Verorab and Abhayrab.

Suppliers, vaccination centres and hospitals around the country have also reported that they have enough vaccines.

Dr Nguyen Minh Ngoc, deputy head of the clinical, biological and testing department at HCM City’s Pasteur Institute, told Viet Nam News her institute has adequate supply of the vaccines.

Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, director of the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases, one of the main places for rabies treatment, said: “The hospital has just been provided 400 more doses of these vaccines, it is enough.”

More doses are expected in the next few weeks, he said.

According to the Drug Administration of Viet Nam, co-operation between suppliers and vaccination centres should be closer to make the vaccine import and storage plan more efficient and ensure there is adequate supply of rabies vaccines.

The administration has instructed hospitals and centres providing vaccines to report any temporary shortage so that it could resolve them soon. — VNS