Medical workers work with modern equipment at the Saint Paul Hospital in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Health has asked hospitals and health clinics of cities and provinces to ensure that all patients in emergency cases receive timely treatment during the Lunar New Year Festival.
In case of special patients who need to be moved to central specialised hospitals, the hospitals and health clinics in localities must give initial emergency treatment and give full explanation to the patients and their families. All refusals or delay in giving treatment will be strictly dealt with.
The document signed by Minister of Heath Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said leaders of hospitals, specialised doctors and doctors associated with hotlines, as well as security guards should be on round-the-clock duty during the holiday. The names of the health staff on duty must be put up on the information board of the hospital.
Hospitals and health clinics have also been asked to prepare for mass food poisoning cases, traffic accidents and epidemics, such as of the A/H7N9 influenza, A/H5N1, Ebola and MER-CoV, besides influenza A (H5N1), dengue fever, measles and rubella infections, as well as diarrhoea caused by rotavirus that might happen in the winter-spring period.
These units should prepare plans to store drugs, fluids and chemicals and mobilise hospital beds, emergency vehicles and medical aid to guarantee emergency treatment and isolation of patients as per current regulations.
Health clinics at the grassroots levels in communes and districts must strengthen epidemiological surveillance to prevent the spread of epidemics.
Health staff at international border gates have been asked to closely examine visitors from infected areas, and isolate suspect cases and handle them in a timely manner.
The establishment of mobile teams in preventive health centres in districts will be necessary to handle disease outbreaks.
Hospitals and health clinics must prepare adequate chemical supplies and equipment, especially for diseases such as hand, foot and mouth disease, dengue fever and influenza.
The ministry has requested the drug administration to ensure adequate supply of medicines and sustainability of drug prices.
The ministry has also asked health staff to pay attention to patients in hospitals during Tet, especially those from poor and disadvantaged communities.-VNA
