Health sector gaining control over COVID-19: Deputy Health Minister hinh anh 1A special quarantine area at Quang Ha general health clinic in Vinh Phuc province. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – As of March 12, Vietnam had recorded 39 COVID-19 infection cases, 16 of whom had been given the all-clear and discharged from hospital and the rest being quarantined and treated at different hospitals.

The pandemic has spread out to 107 countries and territories outside China, with a total of 125,544 infections and 4,623 fatalities.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son recently spoke to Vietnam News Agency about COVID-19 patients in Vietnam, as well as the country’s battle against the disease.

Reporter: The Ministry of Health has just put the Vietnam Telemedicine Centre for COVID-19 Outbreak Control into operation. Can you provide more detailed information about this centre?

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son: With the birth of the Vietnam Telemedicine Centre for COVID-19 Outbreak Control in the Health Ministry, the ministry can connect hospitals at the central and provincial levels across the nation.

The centre is tasked with exchanging information, updating new treatment regimens, and holding consultations for serious cases at health clinics.

Yesterday, experts participated in a virtual consultation for patients in the Health Ministry, the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases No.2, the Da Nang Hospital, the Hue Central Hospital, the Cho Ray Hospital, and the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

Through this consultation, we highly appreciate the preparation of the organising board. The quality of images, reports and screening test results were very clear. Therefore, experts made better advice and treatment consultations for the units.

Health sector gaining control over COVID-19: Deputy Health Minister hinh anh 2Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son (Photo: VietnamPlus).


Reporter: How do you think of the treatment regimen for COVID-19 patients in Vietnam?

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son: With the drastic measures taken by the Vietnamese Government, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, and the health sector, to date, we have had relatively close monitoring over suspected infection cases and had quarantine measures for patients as well as those with close contact with them (known as F1, F2, F3).

We are evaluating the disease-controlling capacity of the health sector in particular. The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control is also working effective.

Reporter: What do you think about the treatment for COVID-19 patients in the second phase?

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son: So far, there have been no patients who have to use ventilators or receive non-invasive support measures. However, some need medical oxygen and show symptoms of pneumonia.

Over the past few days, the medical staff at hospitals nationwide has controlled the situation, and most of the patients are in good health.

Reporter: What about a drug for COVID-19 patients?

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son: There is currently no specific medicine for COVID-19. During the treatment, doctors use many supportive drugs, such as antibiotics and supportive medicine that hospitals have been fully provided by the Ministry of Health under the anti-epidemic programme.

Reporter: Thank you very much./.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued a directive on March 11, requesting stronger actions to prevent and control COVID-19 amid new developments of the outbreak. Facing the new developments, the PM ordered ministries, sectors and localities to continue strictly and drastically implementing directions by the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat and the Government leader to contain the spread of COVID-19, stay ready to deal with further outbreak, and protect people’s health and lives. He asked them to gear up for all circumstances and keep in mind the spirit of “fighting the epidemic like fighting an enemy” and “protecting people’s health and lives even at the expense of economic benefits”./.

VNA