A Vietnamese professor has pointed out the benefits of teaching medical knowledge to fishermen, describing this as an effective way of protecting their health, since they have to work at sea for several consecutive months in a harsh environment.
Professor Nguyen Truong Son, Director of the Vietnam National Institute of Maritime Medicine, underlined the fact that Vietnam has some 130,000 fishing vessels at present, including 30,000 working offshore. Working on often rough seas, fishermen are at high risk of head and stomach aches, physical trauma or cardiac arrest.
In such cases, if no medical staff or first aiders are present on the vessel, the fishermen’s life may be threatened. Son noted that very few vessels, both inshore and offshore, have been equipped with medical supplies or have qualified medical staff working on board.
He advised that in the short term, medical training should be given first to vessel operators. The curriculum should include general knowledge and first-aid skills such as administering injections, joint manipulation and dealing with food poisoning.
It is also a necessity to present free medicine cabinets to vessels, especially offshore ones, as well as teaching fishermen how to use pharmaceuticals in the correct way and dosage, he added.
In February 2013, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved a project on sea and island healthcare development until 2020. Equipping crewmembers with medical knowledge is one of the targets set.
Since the beginning of 2014, the national institute has opened training courses for fishermen of around 500 vessels in Lap Le commune, the northern port city of Hai Phong. It has also provided 100 free medicine chests and plans to give further medical supplies worth 2 million VND (over 95 USD) each to 30,000 offshore vessels.-VNA
Professor Nguyen Truong Son, Director of the Vietnam National Institute of Maritime Medicine, underlined the fact that Vietnam has some 130,000 fishing vessels at present, including 30,000 working offshore. Working on often rough seas, fishermen are at high risk of head and stomach aches, physical trauma or cardiac arrest.
In such cases, if no medical staff or first aiders are present on the vessel, the fishermen’s life may be threatened. Son noted that very few vessels, both inshore and offshore, have been equipped with medical supplies or have qualified medical staff working on board.
He advised that in the short term, medical training should be given first to vessel operators. The curriculum should include general knowledge and first-aid skills such as administering injections, joint manipulation and dealing with food poisoning.
It is also a necessity to present free medicine cabinets to vessels, especially offshore ones, as well as teaching fishermen how to use pharmaceuticals in the correct way and dosage, he added.
In February 2013, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved a project on sea and island healthcare development until 2020. Equipping crewmembers with medical knowledge is one of the targets set.
Since the beginning of 2014, the national institute has opened training courses for fishermen of around 500 vessels in Lap Le commune, the northern port city of Hai Phong. It has also provided 100 free medicine chests and plans to give further medical supplies worth 2 million VND (over 95 USD) each to 30,000 offshore vessels.-VNA
