The Ministry of Health has asked medical stations nationwide to intensify check-ups and treatment while preparing preventative measures against summer diseases.

In a notice issued on May 15, the ministry required health centres to actively raise public awareness of common medical issues, as hot spells of weather may result in exhaustion, respiratory difficulty, strokes and food poisoning, among other conditions.

Hospitals must ensure sufficient facilities, medicine and services, the ministry said.

The provincial and municipal health departments should also earnestly carry out the directions of the Prime Minister and the ministry to contain the spread of measles, dengue fever, and foot-hand-mouth diseases, which were reported in most of the localities across the country.

According to the Ministry of Health, measles hit Vietnam in late December 2013. By April 15 this year, the country recorded over 3,000 cases in 61 out of the 63 cities and provinces. The disease claimed 25 lives, while the number of fatalities from measles complications exceeded 100. Sufferers were mainly under-10 year old children, 86.4 percent of whom had not received full vaccinations.

Meanwhile, the country has seen 17,410 hand-foot-mouth cases, including two deaths, and 7,931 dengue fever patients with four fatalities, mainly due to poor public awareness about personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.-VNA