Hanoi (VNA) – In the first three months, more than 25,000 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease have been recorded nationwide, including four fatalities, an official revealed at a workshop held by the Department of Medical Service Administration under the Ministry of Health in Hanoi on April 1.
The event, which provided guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and linked the ministry with more than 300 hospitals nationwide, heard that of the total cases, around 18,000, or nearly 72%, were concentrated in southern provinces. The disease has primarily affected children aged between one and five.
Ha Anh Duc, Director of the department and Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Medical Council, stressed that alongside updating professional expertise, localities must pay close attention to the preparation of medicines and medical supplies.
He warned that drug shortages, driven by international factors, have begun to affect supply, urging healthcare facilities to proactively review and ensure adequate stocks of medicines and consumables to respond to any potential surge in cases.
Nguyen Trong Khoa, Deputy Director of the department, underlined that central hospitals, particularly provincial general hospitals and paediatric and obstetrics ones, should further strengthen preparedness, with a focus on improving intensive care and emergency response capacity.
Many healthcare facilities have already deployed advanced techniques such as ECMO and blood filtration, considered last-resort treatments for severe cases.
Khoa also noted that isolation within medical facilities is mandatory. In addition, public communication and health education play a vital role, with parents and caregivers needing to be equipped with the knowledge to recognise early symptoms, particularly signs of deterioration, in order to seek timely medical care.
Another key issue raised was the need to ensure safe patient transfers. Transfers must be conducted at the appropriate time and in accordance with proper procedures to avoid delays or unsafe transport that could endanger patients’ lives.
At the workshop, experts from Children’s Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City presented on early diagnosis, treatment stratification, infection control and prevention of cross-infection, care for infected children, management of complications, and safe patient transfer./.
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