The high number of new COVID-19 infections and recoveries in Da Nang over recent days has put great pressure on the grassroots medical staff. In many districts, the number of people going to the health station for procedures is very large, causing overcrowding and potentially high risk of further infection.

According to the in-force Law on Social Insurance, employees infected with COVID-19 and certified by a competent medical examination and treatment establishment are entitled to a sickness regime.

As recorded at local medical facilities, over the past few days, many people have come there to get certifications of their COVID-19 infection status after tests conducted there or their recovery from the disease to enjoy the paid leave as part of social insurance benefits. The papers must then be submitted to their companies for sick leave allowances.

In the wards of Hoa Khanh Bac and Hoa Khanh Nam in Lien Chieu District, people lined up in front of mobile medical stations to have their aforementioned administrative procedures handled. Many of them usually come there in the morning and evening.

Lien Chieu houses the highest number of workers working in factories and industrial parks, so the need to apply for the above-mentioned certification is very large. Meanwhile, human resources at medical facilities are relatively limited.

Despite working continuously with high intensity, it is still difficult to handle all procedures in time, leading to overload during peak hours.

Ms. Tran Thi Yen, a worker at Daiwa Viet Nam Co., Ltd based in the Hoa Khanh Industrial Park, Lien Chieu District, said that her company stipulates that when workers temporarily leave work for COVID-19 treatment, they must obtain certifications granted by competent local medical stations in order to receive social insurance-funded salary during their work days off.

Yen said, “The people's demand is great but there is a shortage of medical staffers, so there is an overload. Large gatherings pose a great risk of COVID-19 infection. In fact, some people can still be re-contract COVID-19, so I am a bit worried”.

In other districts, the above-mentioned situation also occurs at other medical stations in the district during peak hours.

Meanwhile, in Son Tra District, a number of medical stations are flexible and have scientific methods to limit the gathering of visitors.

For example, in order to limit the situation of crowded people, the An Hai Bac Ward Medical Station makes appointments after 5:00p.m daily for all people who need to have their procedures for social insurance payment.

Meanwhile, from the early morning till 5:00p.m, the medical staff focused on conducting rapid COVID-19 tests and enter information about new infections into the municipal medical system.

In order to handle mass gatherings at ward-level medical stations throughout the city, the municipal Department of Health issued a document requesting the district-level medical centres to increase human resources for these grassroots sites.

The Lien Chieu Medical Centre has established 20 mobile medical stations to serve people. A total of 50 medical students have been assigned to be on duty at these venues to limit crowds and gatherings.

In addition, the department has also held a meeting to study the plan to handle papers and procedures for the enjoyment of social insurance payment  in the direction of creating the most favourable possible conditions for people and reducing overload at medical facilities.

Reporting by XUAN DUNG – Translating by A.THU