Before, during and after the four-day break for the National Reunification Day (April 30) and Labour Day (May 1) holidays, the Da Nang Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has urged the municipal Department of Health to strictly embrace the compulsory COVID-19 prevention measures, with a heed paid to the operations of medical establishments across the city. In fact, the hospital is still one of the places facing a high risk of coronavirus infections.

People making online health declarations upon arrival at the Son Tra District Medical Centre for medical examination and treatment. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Many medical facilities across Da Nang, for the time being, are in full swing in taking appropriate measures to ensure the ultimate safety of their staff, patients and visitors amid COVID-19 concerns.

Encouragingly, all municipal and district-level medical facilities are strictly obeying the Health Ministry-mandated 5K (in Vietnamese) motto: namely ‘Khau trang’ (Face mask) – ‘Khu khuan’ (Disinfection) – ‘Khoang cach’ ‘Distance’ - ‘Khong tu tap’ (No gatherings) – ‘Khai bao y te’ (Health Declaration) in a bid to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19.

According to doctor Tran Thien Hung, Director of the Cam Le District Medical Centre said the facility has set up two parallel paths at the entrance. Accordingly, patients to the hospital for medical examination and treatment are required to make mandatory medical declaration, have their measure body temperature, and keep a safe distance from others before performing other administrative procedures.

“During body temperature screening, anyone who shows Covid-19 infection symptoms (cough, fever and shortness of breath) upon arrival at the hospital will be separated from others right away, and immediately be reported to local health authorities for further monitoring”, said doctor Hung.

In a similar vein, plans for preventing the resurgence of the deadly virus is being implemented in a strict manner at the Da Nang General Hospital, the largest of its kind in the city. This hospital has received large numbers of in - and out-patients for checkups and treatment from Da Nang and other Vietnamese localities in recent days.

Ensuring safety in hospitals is the current goal and mission healthcare facilities must embrace. Patients are seen at the Da Nang General Hospital for medical checkups and treatment Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Every day, this large hospital receives more than 1,500 patients. All visitors to the hospital are required to queue for their body temperature measured and their health conditions declared, said Nguyen Thanh Trung, Deputy Director of Da Nang Hospital.

In particular, the general emergency ward consists of two separate rooms, with one receiving patients with suspicious symptoms.

Anyone who appears to show respiratory symptoms will be examined in a separate area offering sufficient medical services ranging from clinical checkups to diagnostic ultrasound tests.

Besides, hospitals have regularly offered training sessions on COVID-19 prevention and control precautions to their medical staff. In particular, heed has been paid to organising staff assignments in a scientific manners and make plans to regularly supervise treatment areas, especially wards offering treatment to severely ill and high-risk patients.

According to doctor Ngo Thi Kim Yen, Director of the municipal Department of Health, hospital safety is one of the major mandatory tasks all medical facilities across the city must fulfill amid the complex developments of COVID-19.

“The healcare sector has always focused on requiring both public and private medical facilities to seriously take proactive measures to ensure safety for their staff and patients in all examination and treatment processes”, affirmed doctor Yen.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by A.T