Hospitals help patients get through the hot days

Hot weather, patients and their families suffer

Although the number of patients has decreased, the atmosphere in the waiting areas is still stuffy and oppressive due to the extreme weather. Photo: Thanh Chung

In recent days, the weather in Nghe Anhot, plus the very harsh West wind. The outdoor temperature in many localities was recorded above 40 degrees Celsius. In these "scorching" conditions, thehospitalis the hottest place.

Information from Nghe An General Hospital: Compared to the beginning of the heat wave, the number of patients coming for examination and treatment tends to decrease. If at the beginning of May, the hospital received 1,500-1,700 patients per day, now there are about 1,000-1,200 people per day.

Patients and their families are exhausted by the heat. Photo: Thanh Chung

Similarly, the number of patients admitted to the hospital has also decreased, in early May, there were 1,400-1,500 patients admitted to the hospital every day; at this time, there are 1,200 patients admitted to the hospital every day for treatment. However, in the situation of general decrease in patients, the number of patients admitted to the emergency room has increased dramatically. The Emergency Department often has no empty beds.

Visiting the sick during this time is very difficult. Photo: Thanh Chung

It is estimated that during the extreme heat, the Emergency Department of Nghe An General Hospital receives about 250 patients every day, of which more than 60% are elderly and children. In terms of illness, these patients are hospitalized due to sunstroke, heatstroke, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, heat shock, etc. Among them, the most serious are cases of stroke, emergency hypertensive crisis, and acute heart failure.

Family members bring fans to help patients fight the heat. Photo: Thanh Chung

Hot weather is the cause of chronic diseases such as COPD, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc. In addition, many families fight the heat by using strong fans directly on people or setting the air conditioner temperature too low, causing colds and pneumonia.

Although the number of patients has decreased a little, the atmosphere in the hospitals is still very stuffy. In the waiting area in front of the examination rooms, there are still many patients and their families waiting, tired and frustrated. Many people seem to collapse on the chairs and fall asleep.

Doctors increase support and treatment for patients in hot, sunny weather. Photo: Thanh Chung

Enhance heat protection for patients

To prevent heatstroke for patients, Nghe An General Hospital has increased fans to improve ventilation conditions in areas with a large number of patients and their families. Photo: Thanh Chung

Implementing the direction of the Government, the Ministry of Health, and the Nghe An Department of Health, at this time, hospitals in the province have been implementing effective solutions to prevent and combat heat, ensuring good, airy and cool conditions for patients coming for examination and treatment.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Huong - Director of Nghe An General Hospital said: The hospital has been implementing 6 solutions to prevent and combat heat and sun for patients. Firstly, review and improve ventilation conditions in areas with a large number of patients and their relatives. Secondly, assign departments, rooms, and centers to increase fans and air conditioners for patient rooms and waiting areas; provide free water for patients.

Strengthen air conditioning for hospital rooms. Photo: Thanh Chung

Third, request relevant departments and offices to prepare human resources, equipment, and medicines to promptly provide emergency care to patients suffering from heatstroke; strengthen internal and external emergency teams, and heatstroke prevention and control steering committees to be ready to respond to incidents and disasters. Fourth, deploy training on emergency care skills for patients suffering from heatstroke for hospital staff and lower-level hospitals.

Fifth, cover the corridors between buildings in the hospital, helping patients and their families move easily, avoiding direct exposure to the heat; promote communication on disease prevention and control due to extreme heat. Sixth, strengthen socialization, calling on organizations and philanthropists to sponsor equipment such as fans and water purifiers to protect patients from the heat.

Nghe An General Friendship Hospital provides free water to patients. Photo: Thanh Chung

Not only provincial hospitals, district hospitals have also been actively implementing measures to combat the extremely hot weather... In Ky Son district - one of the hottest localities in the province, from May 15th until now, nearly 700 people have come for examination and treatment. Many of them have diseases caused by this hot weather, such as: digestive disorders, infections, allergic hives, bronchitis, pneumonia...

Doctor Sam Van Hai - Director of Ky Son District Medical Center said: At present, the center has 144 inpatients. To help patients overcome this extreme weather, we have equipped electric fans, ventilation systems and drinking water for patients and their families. In addition, the center also promotes communication, advising patients and everyone to avoid sunlight and limit travel when the temperature is high.

The hot weather makes both patients and their families suffer. At the foot of the open-air staircase, relatives of patients lie huddled together, half asleep. Photo: Thanh Chung

Similarly, Dr. Lang Van Thai - Director of Que Phong District Medical Center also said: In this hot weather, although the number of patients has decreased, there are still about 150-200 patients coming for examination and treatment every day. The most crowded are children with pneumonia and bronchitis. The number of inpatients ranges from 100-105 patients/day.

To prevent heatstroke, the center has also directed departments and commune health stations to prepare medicine, equipment, and emergency vehicles; retrain first aid skills for people with heatstroke, heat shock, and especially stroke; and be ready to promptly provide emergency aid to patients.