Dozens of doctors and nurses are suspected of being exposed to HIV while providing emergency care to victims.

One victim of the head-on collision between two passenger buses that killed four people in Kon Tum has been diagnosed with HIV, prompting a series of doctors, nurses, and people who came into contact with him to urgently receive post-exposure prophylaxis treatment.

The scene of the traffic accident that occurred on June 30th, on the Ho Chi Minh Highway section passing through Dak H'ring commune, Dak Ha district, Kon Tum province. After the accident, many people participated in rescuing the victims - Photo: TTN

According to information from the Kon Tum Department of Health on the afternoon of July 2nd, in the head-on collision between two passenger buses on the Ho Chi Minh Highway on the afternoon of June 30th that killed 4 people, 17 medical staff and 7 civilians involved in rescuing and transporting patients are suspected of being exposed to HIV.

Hoang Dinh Canh, Deputy Director of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health, has requested relevant departments to urgently guide Kon Tum in screening and providing ARV treatment for post-exposure prophylaxis to those involved in transporting, rescuing, and treating this victim.

Dr. Dao Duy Khanh, Director of the Department of Health, said that the department has also provided counseling, screening, and free ARV medication for HIV exposure treatment to those involved in rescuing victims.

The department administered prophylactic medication within 24 hours of exposure (the regulation stipulates within 72 hours) to 24 individuals involved and monitored them for 3 months.

The Department of Health also simultaneously monitors, tests, and provides guidance on sterilization, handling, and burial of infected individuals and related items.

According to Mr. Khanh, during the process of transporting the victim to the hospital and performing emergency duties, 17 doctors and nurses and 7 civilians came into direct contact with the victim's blood, which was infected with HIV, without any protective measures, leading to the suspicion that these individuals were exposed to HIV.

Currently, Kon Tum province and relevant agencies have organized visits to and encouraged the people and medical staff who actively and bravely participated in rescuing the victims.

"In exceptional cases where someone used their family vehicle to transport the victim to the hospital, a proposal will be promptly submitted to the Kon Tum province for commendation and reward," Mr. Khanh said.

As previously reported, at approximately 1:00 PM on June 30th, a serious traffic accident occurred between two passenger buses on the Ho Chi Minh Highway section passing through Dak H'ring commune, Dak Ha district, Kon Tum province.

A 16-seater vehicle belonging to the Dong Tien Transport Cooperative, traveling from Da Nang to Kon Tum, collided with a passenger bus belonging to the Tay Nguyen Transport Cooperative, which was traveling in the opposite direction.

The accident resulted in the immediate deaths of two victims, Ms. Tran Thi Mo (51 years old) and Mr. Le Van Duc (28 years old), residents of Thanh Khe district, Da Nang city, and two others who died later at Kon Tum General Hospital on the morning of July 1st.

The victims all suffered multiple injuries such as head trauma, lung contusion, kidney rupture, pericardial effusion, broken legs, etc.

According to TTO