A turning point in the treatment and care of mental patients

(Baonghean) - Nghe An Mental Hospital was established in 1974 on the basis of taking over and separating from the Neuropsychiatry Department of Nghe An Provincial General Hospital, located in Thanh Luan commune - Thanh Chuong district.

When it was first established, the hospital had only 23 people, including 2 doctors, 3 physicians, 7 nurses, and 8 other staff. The initial machinery, equipment, and facilities for medical examination and treatment included 2 microscopes; The infrastructure includes 2 tiled houses, 8 thatched houses... Up to now, the hospital has been recognized as a grade II specialized hospital with 235 beds (including 30 outpatient beds), a staff of 179 people, including: 8 CKI doctors, 2 masters, 11 doctors, 5 nurses training to become doctors, 1 CK I pharmacist, 1 intermediate pharmacist training to become a university student, 9 other university staff, 2 nursing majors, 12 nursing college graduates, 11 doctors participating as doctors, 78 TH nurses, the rest are pharmacists, nurses, medical workers and other staff... The facilities, medical equipment and facilities have been equipped relatively modernly, basically meeting the needs of medical examination and treatment for the people.

Doctors monitor the condition of a patient treated with electroencephalography at Nghe An Mental Hospital. Photo: Thuy Hien

From only 3 treatment departments, it has now developed into 5 treatment departments; medical equipment and facilities are equipped with high-frequency X-ray machines, electroencephalography machines, urine testing machines, etc., attracting many patients to come for examination and treatment, partly meeting the needs of specialized psychiatric examination and treatment for people in the province. In particular, the electroencephalography examination technique of patients is the number 1 trusted address for patients in the province.

Implementing Decision No. 97/2007/UBND, dated August 28, 2007 of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee on approving the Project "Building a High-Tech Medical Center in the North Central region", in addition to investing and upgrading facilities, the hospital has actively innovated working methods, developed and implemented administrative reform plans, promoted professional activities to ensure and enhance the rights to examination, treatment, and use of paraclinical techniques for patients. Boldly improving the organizational structure such as: converting the independent accounting model of the Nutrition Department, merging the 2 Departments of Subacute Male and Female into 2 Departments of Male Psychiatry and Female Psychiatry, establishing the Department of CDHA Testing and TDCN separated from the Department of Medical Examination, newly establishing the Department of Infection Control, the Department of Rehabilitation, the Department of Traditional Medicine, the Department of Pediatric and Geriatric Psychiatry.

In recent years, the hospital has deployed many more technical services in diagnostic imaging, physical therapy, rehabilitation... Some specialized techniques have also been developed and supplemented. Up to now, the hospital has deployed 956 techniques and procedures... basically meeting the needs of mental health care for people in and outside the province and some neighboring areas of Laos.

The mental health care network has now covered 20/20 districts, cities and towns, managing over 10,000 outpatients. Implementing the project "Mental health care in the community" (under the National Target Program for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases), 172/480 communes and wards and 4,684 patients with schizophrenia and epilepsy have been brought under management (reaching a rate of 35.83%). Although this number is still very modest compared to the general level of the whole country, much lower than other provinces in the region, the hospital always performs far beyond the assigned financial plan targets. All patients managed for outpatient treatment are guaranteed medication regimes and provided with legal records for local authorities to implement social policies according to State regulations. In particular, with the promotion of propaganda and health education in the community, awareness of mental health among the people of the province has been significantly improved, the idealistic notions about mental illness have gradually changed, some patients who had been ill for many years, had to worship ghosts, were locked in cages, and were chained and left in the forest before have been brought here for treatment and have integrated well into the community. The phenomenon of taking advantage of mental illness to "possess spirits", call souls to find martyrs' graves, causing confusion and hesitation among the people has been quickly pushed back...

Although there are still many difficulties in human resources and facilities, with a love for the profession and a clear awareness of the responsibility assigned by the Party and the people, over the past 40 years, generations of cadres and civil servants of Nghe An Mental Hospital have not been afraid of hardships, overcome difficulties, always cultivate the qualities of medical staff, and wholeheartedly take care of people's health. Up to now, the hospital has developed steadily in all aspects, achieved many remarkable achievements, and received many noble awards from the Party and the State, the Ministry of Health, and the Department of Health. Typically, the hospital has achieved the title of Excellent Hospital, Comprehensive Excellence, and Typical Excellence for many years, and has been awarded a certificate of merit by the Ministry of Health, a certificate of merit and an Emulation Flag by the Provincial People's Committee, and an Emulation Flag by the Prime Minister. In particular, after 40 years of tireless efforts, Nghe An Mental Hospital has been awarded the Third Class Labor Medal by the State Emulation and Reward Council.

Promoting the achievements, in the coming time, the staff is determined to strive to build Nghe An Mental Hospital to develop in all aspects, becoming a satellite hospital for mental health care of the High-Tech Medical Center of the North Central region, a trusted address for people in mental health care.

Dr. Phan Kim Thin

Director of Nghe An Mental Hospital