The Da Nang Department of Health is exerting its efforts to develop medical network in the city by closely following directions from Da Nang’s leaders on implementing Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2019 adopted by the Politburo on building and developing Da Nang by 2030, with a vision towards 2045, and Programme No. 39-CTr/TU of the Party Committee’s Standing Board on "Building and developing Da Nang into a centre for specialized and high-quality culture, education - training and healthcare associated with the good implementation of social welfare policies, aiming to build a liveable city".

Illustrative image (Photo: baodanang.vn)

As a force on the front line of the fight against the COVID-19, local medical officials and staff carried out routine medical professional work in tandem with participating in fighting the pandemic.

At the same time, they actively got involved in developing the medical examination and treatment network at all levels, applying medical techniques on par with the region, ensuring adequate provision of primary medical examination and treatment services for people, and upgrading medical facilities in the city.

According to Dr. Tran Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director in charge of the municipal Department of Health, during the two years 2020-2021, due to the severe impact of COVID-19, the Department's Party Committee closely followed the central and local governments’ COVID-19 prevention and control regulations and directions.

In order to promptly and effectively meet the requirements of improving people's health in the new situation, the Department of Health’s Party Committee has focused on innovating and perfecting the medical organisation system, as well as increasing training and rotation of medical staff to improve professional qualifications, professional ethics, and management capacity. This will contribute to ensuring the quantity and quality of medical staff for specialties, fields, and grassroots healthcare centres, thereby meeting the development requirements of the city's health sector.

The health sector constantly promotes professional development, strengthens State management, boosts administrative reform, applies information technology, and increases patient satisfaction.

Importance has been attached to innovating and transforming the medical service delivery model, prioritising the deployment of specialised medical centres and multi-centre hospitals, and developing medical tourism, in a bid to gradually build Da Nang into a medical hub at both home and abroad.

Every year, the Department of Health develops professional plans and funding to proactively prevent infectious diseases from the beginning of the year, and advises the municipal People's Committee to promptly direct the district-level authorities and relevant units to drastically implement epidemic prevention and control work.

Since the beginning of 2020, infectious disease surveillance has been carried out strictly in the city. Samples of diseases caused by Zika and Chikungunya viruses; hand, foot and mouth disease; diphtheria; whooping cough and influenza, have been sent to the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute for testing.

District-level medical centres continue to implement plans about satellite units for municipal-level nuclear hospitals.

In the second half of the 2020-2025 term, the Department of Health’s Party Committee continues to carry out specific tasks and solutions to realise the targets set out in the Resolution of its 16^th Congress, as well as develop annual resolutions, programmes, and work plans.

Heed will be on improving the quality of the city's health system; promoting the strong development of medical services, and developing medical techniques in the direction of strong general practice and deep specialties, Deputy Secretary of the Department’s Party Committee Tran Thanh Thuy emphasised.

​ Reporting by PHAN CHUNG - Translating by M.DUNG