June has been selected as the national month of action for children’s health, aiming to raise public awareness of child care and limit injuries among children.

Addressing the launching ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on May 25, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien urged competent agencies to make greater efforts to reduce deaths among under-fives and increase measures against common summer diseases and other ongoing prevalent diseases such as measles, hand-foot-mouth and varicella.

While warning of dangers commonly suffered by children in summer, including drowning, burning and electric shocks, the minister called on families and schools to ensure hygiene for children.

The campaign will help improve parents’ knowledge about raising children while creating a safe and meaningful playground for them. The launch will take place amidst the backdrop of International Children’s Day (June 1) and the summer holidays.

In Vietnam , the rate of malnutrition among children under five has dropped from 41 percent in 1990 to over 16 percent in 2012.-VNA