Military medics deployed to help localities in COVID-19 fight

Maj. Gen. Nguyen Xuan Kien (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The General Department of Logistics's Military Medical Department has devised a plan to ensure military medics to maintain the safety of Hanoi and northern provinces amid complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to sending staff to support southern localities.

Director of the department Maj. Gen. Nguyen Xuan Kien said in Hanoi, the army deployed over 1,500 officers and soldiers, including more than 400 working at 22 checkpoints, and set up three quarantine facilities currently serving 1,233 people. Since April 1, more than 30 soldiers have transported 14,656 people to concentrated quarantine facilities.

The army also established 143 teams to collect samples for COVID-19 testing and set up seven testing labs with 25 RT-PCR machines with a daily capacity of 10,000 samples. Since August 11, 24 out of 134,557 tested samples have been found positive to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. As many as 38 vaccination and 13 intensive care teams were also established, giving over 14,000 vaccine shots.

The Central Military Hospital 108, the Military Hospital 103 and the National Institute of Burns will be ready to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients with 300-500 beds each.

The Military Hospitals 354 and 105 and the Military Institute of Traditional Medicine will offer 300-500 beds each to treat patients in moderate and serious conditions while setting up 135 testing, 82 vaccination and 27 intensive care teams if necessary.

In northern provinces, the army plans to deploy over 21,000 beds to treat patients in mild, moderate, serious and critical conditions, Kien said, adding that they are also ready to cope with a scenario with 500,000 COVID-19 patients and more.

The General Department of Logistics also suggested purchasing 17 items of equipment and materials for the fight against the pandemic, especially for the establishment of temporary COVID-19 treatment hospitals./.