>> Hand-Foot-Mouth disease on the rise

>> Hand, foot, and mouth disease defies public health efforts

While hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) continues to spread, infecting larger number of victims in more parts of the nation, officials haggle over the word \'epidemic\'.

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine, an arm of the Ministry of Health, 130 people have died from the disease so far this year, with many more non-fatal infections

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine, an arm of the Ministry of Health, 130 people have died from the disease so far this year, with many more non-fatal infections.

Last week, the number of patients increased by 5,200 with 11 more deaths. Many new cases occurred in cities and provinces where the disease had not been reported before.

Statistics provided by the department showed that, the places which have been the hardest hit have seen a slight improvement. Ho Chi Minh City now has 250-300 reported cases, compared to its the peek of 500, Binh Duong Province 60, which is down from 110.

According to the Hanoi Centre of Preventive Medicine, Hanoi reported about 400 cases of the disease, which claimed the life of one three-year old girl.

Health bureaucracy

An official from the department explained that under the Law on Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, hand, foot and mouth is classified as a type-B infectious disease - those which can spread quickly and cause death. HIV/AIDS, the flu and malaria are also in this category. Under the law the disease must be recognised as an epidemic by chairmen of provincial People’s Committees, after a proposal by the local Departments of Health’s directors. The Ministry of Health will only announce a national epidemic when at least two centrally-governed cities and provinces have announced provincial epidemics.

Under current law, it is up to local officials to gather information and announce an epidemic. Failing to do so would tie the hands of the district officials. The only option at the district level would be to make a proposal to the provincial People\'s Committee to announce an epidemic in the areas affected.

There are a number of other requirements about announcing a nation-wide epidemic under Decision 64 of the Prime Minister.

Associate Professor Nguyen Tran Hien, Director of National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said it is high time to mobilise resources to stop the spread of the disease itself, and stop worrying about whether it\'s an epidemic or not.