On March 30, Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Thu Ha chaired a meeting, held both in person and online, with leaders of departments, agencies and communes and wards on disease prevention and control across the city.

Identifying challenges from real-world conditions

Reporting at the meeting, Vu Cao Cuong, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health, emphasized the city's proactive stance and vigilance amid complex disease developments.

Cuong stated that in the first quarter of 2026, the overall disease situation in the city remained largely under control. However, several infectious diseases are showing concerning upward trends, particularly hand, foot and mouth disease.

Since the beginning of the year, Hanoi has recorded 1,320 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, a 2.3-fold increase compared to the same period in 2025. The disease has appeared in 126 communes and wards with 24 outbreaks, including 21 clusters in preschools and kindergartens.

Meanwhile, dengue fever has begun to show early warning signs, with 181 reported cases. Although this figure is slightly lower than the same period last year, epidemiologists warn of a high risk of a dengue outbreak in 2026 due to the three-year epidemic cycle following the major outbreak in 2023 and favorable weather conditions for mosquito breeding.

In addition, rabies outbreaks in suburban areas and imported cases such as mpox have placed the healthcare system on heightened alert.

Regarding hand, foot and mouth disease, Cuong highlighted school health systems as a "frontline fortress" in preventing transmission.

The city has carried out environmental sanitation and disinfection campaigns in more than 100 communes and wards, focusing on preschool classrooms. A total of 299 training sessions for over 13,000 school health staff have equipped teachers with early detection skills.

Cuong stressed that Hanoi is not only responding to outbreaks but is also prioritizing proactive prevention.

The city has developed educational materials and instructional videos on disinfection for dissemination to households and schools. The principle of "monitoring children's health at the classroom entrance" has been widely implemented to identify suspected cases early and prevent single cases from becoming clusters.

For dengue fever, Hanoi has prepared resources, including hundreds of high-capacity sprayers and thousands of liters of mosquito-control chemicals and Chloramine B stored at the city's CDC and local health stations.

The city has also required localities that have not yet approved dengue prevention plans to complete them by April, ensuring funding and personnel for mosquito larvae control campaigns, including fish stocking in key areas.

Affirming strong political system engagement

Speaking at the meeting, Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Thu Ha emphasized: "Protecting public health is the top priority, ensuring that disease outbreaks do not disrupt the city's socio-economic development."

Hanoi's determination is reflected in regular coordination meetings and strict monitoring from the Noi Bai International Airport to residential neighborhoods.

One notable achievement in the first three months of the year is the expanded immunization program. Hanoi has ensured sufficient vaccine supply, achieving catch-up vaccination rates of 92.1% to 93.6% for school-entry children, exceeding targets.

This serves as a strong "protective barrier" against the resurgence of dangerous diseases such as measles, whooping cough and Japanese encephalitis.

In addition, intersectoral coordination among health, education, police and local authorities under the "four on-site" principle has created a unified response. The city has strengthened communication efforts to raise public awareness of disease prevention.

Looking ahead, Ha emphasized the need to shift from a "response" mindset to a "prevention-first" approach in line with Politburo Resolution No. 72, adopting proactive measures early and from a distance.

The city has established clear action plans, requiring the Department of Health to provide detailed guidance for implementation in 2026, moving away from reactive approaches that only respond after outbreaks occur.

With hand, foot and mouth cases at alarming levels and dengue season approaching, Ha instructed communes and wards to urgently review and finalize proactive prevention plans, ensuring adequate resources and personnel.

By April 15 at the latest, all localities must complete implementation plans, including tasks, budgets and staffing. The Department of Health is responsible for detailed guidance and strengthened supervision.

Educational institutions must immediately implement measures to prevent hand, foot and mouth disease and prepare for dengue outbreaks.

The city also emphasized developing and expanding model programs to ensure food safety in school kitchens, especially given concerns about unsafe food entering school meals.

"This is an urgent and critical task requiring maximum focus to ensure timely and effective implementation," Vice Chairwoman Vu Thu Ha stressed.