The Public Health Ministry is speeding up the distribution of basic vaccines, which include polio and measles, to children across Thailand after a recent study found the immunisation rate among Thai children has dropped to about 80%.
In comments to mark World Immunisation Week, the directors-general of the Department of Disease Control, Tares Krassanairawiwong, and the National Vaccine Institute, Nakhon Premsri, announced the plan to boost vaccination rates among Thai children and adolescents.
While the Public Health Ministry has distributed over 150 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines over the past three years, basic immunisation rates across the country have dropped, especially across the deep South. The campaign is designed to plug the gap.
In response, the ministry launched a campaign dubbed "The Big Catch-Up", in which health authorities will offer DPT, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, measles and human papilloma virus (HPV) shots to both children and adults.
The push will be jointly carried out by the public and private sectors, aided by the Department of Local Administration, sub-district health promotion hospitals and village health volunteers, Dr Nakhon said.
"If the national measles immunisation rate drops, the chance of measles returning will increase.
"We've eradicated polio, but the low rate of polio immunisation might allow a new outbreak," Dr Nakhon said.
He said the recommended immunisation rate must be above 90%. At present, the rate is about 80%.