Vietnamese citizens from Equatorial Guinea quarantined at hospital

The National Hospital of Tropical Diseases receives the Vietnamese citizens for quarantine. The citizens are 219 workers stranded in Equatorial Guinea. In early July, after learning of the spread of the coronavirus among the workers at the Sendje hydropower project, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) asked the Foreign Ministry and the Vietnamese Embassy in Angola and Equatorial Guinea, as well as the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control to support businesses to bring them home. According to Deputy Minister of MoLISA Le Van Thanh, 16 of the workers tested positive for the coronavirus virus and 20 were suspected to contract the disease in late June. They have been quarantined and treated in line with local regulations. The number of infections among the Vietnamese guest workers rose to 112 in early July. On the flight, the number of COVID-19 patients was 120. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The repatriation resulted from concerted efforts of different units. Recognising that the pandemic was becoming serious with a high rate of infection and getting out of the control of companies, the MoLISA proposed to the Prime Minister the organisation of a flight to bring all the workers home. Shortly afterward, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested an immediate flight to evacuate the Vietnamese citizens from Equatorial Guinea and asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassadors, and Vietnamese representative offices abroad to do their best to care for all Vietnamese citizens abroad. His direction received a prompt response from sectors and agencies. Various meetings were convened to discuss how to arrange the flight, along with measures to ensure flight safety, epidemiological hygiene, flight procedures, and support for the passengers throughout the flight. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The citizens head to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases’ quarantine site. According to Deputy Director of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases Nguyen Trung Cap, to receive the highest ever number of COVID-19 patients, his hospital has been well prepared, using all of its facility in Dong Anh district, which has between 400 and 500 beds, for the treatment. Currently, the hospital has more than 100 ventilators, with relevant medicines being ready to use and robotic treatment technologies set to join the doctors. Approximately one hundred and seventy medical workers have been mobilised for the special and important mission. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Health workers direct the returnees to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases’ quarantine site. The 219 workers, the flight crew of eight and four health care workers who escorted the repatriation flight were taken into quarantine at the Kim Chung branch of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases right after their arrival at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport. Earlier, all the patients at the hospital were moved to its campus in downtown Hanoi to make room for, and to be safe from a large number of coronavirus carrying returnees. Director of the hospital Pham Ngoc Thach said that the hospital currently has more than 100 ventilators, which are enough to serve the treatment of the group. In addition, related medicine and medical equipment for diagnosis, care for and treatment of the patients are also ready to be used. In particular, the hospital will use the robotic technology that supports the treatment with a hope that the technology will bring about good results. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Though dozens of flights have been conducted bringing Vietnamese citizens home from different points around the globe, this is the first time Vietnam has had to deal with a large number of infections itself at the same time, requiring particularly thorough preparations. It was less than three weeks since the Prime Minister requested the flight when it landed at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, arranged at a lightning speed in a spirit of “no one left behind”. The “miracle” flight manifested the country’s collective strength being mobilised through difficulties and challenges. Leaving no one behind and putting life at the top priority have become key in the Vietnamese Government’s disease prevention and control efforts. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Deputy Director of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases Nguyen Trung Cap said the flight is unprecedented as the COVID-19 patients aboard accounted for over 50 percent of the total passengers. Preparations by health experts to ensure safety for the workers, crewmembers and medical personnel have been carried out for weeks before the plane taking off. According to Cap, there are tonnes of difficulties. The 300-seat plane has to carry 120 patients, hence a very high risk of virus transmission. The small space and differential pressure might cause patients to have respiratory failure during the flight. If the problem occurs, first aid to save the patients will be way harder than being performed on the ground. (Photo: VietnamPlus)