In response to the expanded administrative scope following regional mergers, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) has officially operationalized 10 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs). This core force is designed to ensure health security across the newly expanded metropolitan area, particularly during the peak 2026 Lunar New Year season.
The current RRT model consolidates medical personnel from the former entities of Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria – Vung Tau. The city’s management network now encompasses 168 grassroots administrative units. This increased scale, coupled with international trade pressures and climate change, necessitates a surveillance system with broader coverage and higher mobility.
Structure and mandate of the RRTs:
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Specialized Personnel: Each team comprises 10 experts covering roles such as epidemiology, laboratory sampling, environmental disinfection, logistics, and risk communication.
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Operational Principles: Functioning under the “four on-the-spot” motto, the teams maintain 24/7 rotational standby status to deploy immediately upon any disease alert.
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Response Protocol: In the event of a suspected case, teams conduct field investigations, risk assessments, and focal point containment, while providing technical support to local health stations.
Moving forward, each ward, commune, and special district within Ho Chi Minh City is expected to establish at least one local RRT. The ultimate goal is to build an integrated health defense network capable of early detection and decisive elimination of infectious pathogens at the grassroots level.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tp-hcm-kich-hoat-10-doi-dap-ung-nhanh-san-sang-ung-pho-dich-benh-20260211102029301.htm