The contest is being launched in the first year of implementing the Expanded Programme on Immunisation Plan for the 2026–2028 period. It aims to capture and showcase images of vaccination activities across the country, particularly the efforts of preventive and grassroots healthcare workers, as well as the participation of local communities.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Vu Manh Cuong, Director of the Central Centre for Health Communication and Education and head of the Organising Committee, said the contest aims to strengthen communication about the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, provide scientific and accurate information about vaccines and vaccination, and highlight efforts to carry out immunisation activities in localities nationwide.
Entries are encouraged to portray vaccination activities in remote, mountainous, border and island areas, as well as other disadvantaged localities. They should also highlight the dedication of healthcare workers and the efforts of families to ensure that children receive all recommended vaccinations on schedule.
Dr Duong Chi Nam, Deputy Director of the Department of Disease Prevention under the Ministry of Health, said the Expanded Programme on Immunisation has been implemented in Viet Nam for more than 40 years, contributing to reductions in morbidity and mortality from several dangerous infectious diseases among children. Viet Nam has maintained its polio-free status since 2000 and eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus as a public health problem in 2005.
According to Nam, these achievements have been underpinned by the dedication of generations of preventive and grassroots healthcare workers, particularly those working in disadvantaged areas, where they have had to overcome numerous difficulties to deliver vaccines to local communities.
Against the backdrop of the Law on Disease Prevention taking effect on July 1, 2026, and the health sector implementing the Expanded Programme on Immunisation Plan for 2026–2028, the contest is expected to strengthen vaccination communication, provide accurate information and help mitigate the impact of misinformation.
The Organising Committee requires entries to truthfully depict people, events and their context, without staging or editing that distorts the nature of the subject matter. The contest comprises two categories: single photographs and photo series. A photo series should take the form of a photo essay or collection comprising five to eight images.
The contest is open to Vietnamese citizens at home and abroad, as well as foreign nationals legally living and working in Viet Nam. There will be one first prize, three second prizes, five third prizes, seven consolation prizes and nine thematic prizes.
Entries will be accepted from September 30 through October 31, 2026. Online voting is scheduled to take place from November 15 to November 30, 2026.
Selected works will not only be featured in the contest but will also be used for information, communication and health education activities. Through authentic images captured in real-life settings, the Organising Committee hopes to bring vaccination stories to life and make accurate information about vaccines and immunisation more accessible to the community.
