The program launched on the morning of 16/5 in the Con Dao Special Zone, TP HCM. Ngo Chi Dung, Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of VNVC Immunization Center System, stated that tens of thousands of doses of new-generation flu vaccines from Sanofi (France) would be administered to all military personnel and residents of Con Dao for three consecutive years, with one dose per person per year.

VNVC also committed to prioritizing the supply of new, scarce vaccines to meet the immunization needs of Con Dao's military and residents, contributing to disease prevention, health protection, and visitor safety.

Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of TP HCM (second row, fourth from left); Doctor Huynh Minh Chin, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health (second row, first from right); Le Hoang Hai, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Council of Con Dao Special Zone (second row, second from right); along with representatives from departments, agencies, the coast guard, and local residents, witnessed the VNVC sponsorship ceremony in the Con Dao Special Zone. Photo: Minh Trung

The initial vaccination round saw approximately 500 officials, soldiers, and residents participate. Concurrently, VNVC transferred safe vaccination and international-standard vaccine storage procedures for the locality to implement moving forward. This marks the first large-scale, multi-year immunization program to feature collaboration between a private healthcare unit and local authorities.

During the ceremony, Tam Anh General Hospital, a member of the VNVC healthcare ecosystem, donated an electric vehicle valued at 500 million VND to the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Museum - Library (Con Dao Branch). The electric vehicle will support operations, conservation efforts, and the promotion of historical and cultural values on the island.

Additionally, VNVC organized extensive in-person and online consultation sessions to enhance community awareness about disease prevention. Residents received guidance on hand washing, personal hygiene, health care during epidemic seasons, and information leaflets about other common vaccines. Several volunteers, particularly elderly individuals, expressed feelings of security and peace of mind upon receiving their first on-site vaccination.

Nguyen Thi Tu, 77 years old, and her husband, Nguyen Xuan Vien, 82 years old, former political prisoners residing in Con Dao, arrived early in the morning to receive the flu vaccine administered by VNVC on the island. Photo: Minh Trung

Con Dao currently has over 12,000 residents and welcomes more than 600,000 visitors annually. The isolated island nature, coupled with rapidly increasing visitor numbers and trade, has created a high demand for robust preventive medicine and epidemic risk control capabilities.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of TP HCM, noted that the city is actively shifting its approach from treatment to proactive disease prevention, following directives from General Secretary and President To Lam. Within this framework, Con Dao is developing a multi-tier model: the first tier focuses on primary health care and preventive medicine; the second tier on grassroots healthcare and basic health care; and the third tier on specialized, high-tech medicine. He praised the collaboration and participation of the VNVC Immunization Center System and Tam Anh General Hospital in this multi-tier healthcare chain, which enhances preventive medicine and community health care capabilities on the island.

Con Dao residents received flu vaccines from VNVC medical staff on the morning of 16/5. Photo: Minh Trung

The VNVC Immunization Center System, active for nearly ten years with over 12,000 experienced medical personnel, has participated in numerous large-scale immunization campaigns, including those for Covid-19 and measles. The organization is also a strategic partner of leading global vaccine manufacturers, bringing many new, high-quality, and reasonably priced vaccines to Vietnam.

Beyond its services, VNVC implements various community programs, donating millions of free vaccine doses to children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and frontline workers in disadvantaged areas.

Gia Nghi