An official recently said that the Ministry of Health should apologise and compensate the families of three babies who died after receiving vaccinations for Hepatitis B.

 (left to right) Trinh Quan Huan and Nguyen Trong An

During a seminar addressing Vietnam's regulated vaccination programme, held on August 1, Nguyen Trong An, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs' Child Care and Protection Department said the Ministry of Health must be the first to step up and take responsibility.

"While the cause of death is still unknown, the quality of the vaccines used is also still in doubt and the leaders of health sector have a responsibility to give support and compassion to the victims' families. These families have not received any apology or compensation," said An.

Nguyen Van Cuong, Deputy Director of National Expanded Programme on Immunisation, said the compensation scheme is mandated by law. The producers of the vaccines must provide compensation for complications caused by their products. and doctors who administer them are to be held accountable if they have not followed proper procedure.

Former deputy minister of health, Trinh Quan Huan, said the lack of speed with which the investigation is worrying the public and makes for a negative impression of the country's immunisation programme.

"Mortality after vaccination has several potential causes; vaccine quality, improper administration or unknown illnesses can play a role. It is estimated that almost 16 out of 1,000 babies in Vietnam die from sudden infant death syndrome. However, the three babies in Quang Tri Provinces were healthy, and it is in doubt whether the doctors who gave the shots followed correct procedure. The only task left is to test the quality of the vaccine," he said.

Huan vowed to find the cause of death and improve the vaccination procedures. According to Huan, some centres receive as many as 200 babies a day and sometimes skip pre-vaccination screening.

Concerning the general side effects of vaccines, Cuong said that Vietnam gives 50 million shots of various vaccines and records around 10 cases of side effects each year. "Experts generally agree that the vaccines is safe." he said. "The Ministry of Health has always carried out regular inspections, but this is a difficult job, with more than 11,000 health facilities to check."