Nghe An Health Sector is always worthy of the people's trust and love.

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh inspected the work of welcoming citizens from southern provinces and cities back home at Ben Thuy 2 bridge checkpoint before Storm No. 8 was about to make landfall. Photo: Thanh Chung

PV: On February 27, 1955, on the occasion of the medical staff conference, Uncle Ho sent a letter to the conference. In the letter, he advised the medical sector in general and doctors in particular to be honest and united; love the sick; build the country's medical system... Over the past 67 years, how has the Nghe An medical sector implemented this teaching?

Nghe An medical staff go to the mountains and villages to prevent Covid-19. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh:In each period,Health sectorimplementing a different strategy and mission on health care, on the basis of inheritance and improvement. However, it must be said that Uncle Ho's teachings have always been the guiding principle in all activities of the health sector, as well as the actions of all generations of Vietnamese doctors.

Following his teachings, over the past 67 years, generations of doctors in Nghe An province have united, constantly striving to grow. Specifically: From a province with only over 50 medical staff, we now have more than 12,000 medical staff. From a place where people's health care was mainly based on the community, we have now developed specialized medicine, applying many new techniques to serve patients.

The health system from the province to the commune, ward, village, hamlet and village level has been consolidated and increasingly improved. The network of medical examination, treatment and rehabilitation has developed rapidly in the direction of specialized techniques. Up to now, Nghe An has 13 provincial hospitals, 7 district-level general hospitals, 21 district, city and town health centers and 16 private hospitals...

With a sense of responsibility and love for patients, Nghe An medical staff has constantly improved their medical ethics and professional qualifications, successfully fulfilling their mission of caring for and protecting people's health. There have been many clear changes in medical ethics and medical practice that can be seen in all areas from medical examination and treatment to prevention.

The changes can be clearly seen: The indicators of hospital beds, doctors, pharmacists per 10,000 people, the health insurance rate always increases every year, the rate of malnourished children decreases, the expanded vaccination rate is always high, health indicators, average life expectancy are improved, population work, food safety and hygiene are always guaranteed.

Laparoscopic surgery saves the life of a critically ill patient. Photo: Document

The health sector has completed a number of goals in building a high-tech center for the North Central region in Vinh city; successfully performing advanced and complex techniques such as cardiovascular intervention, open heart surgery, vascular surgery, neurology, spine surgery, bone marrow transplantation, etc.

The sector has been gradually transferring many advanced techniques, such as endoscopic surgery, trauma surgery, phaco surgery, etc. to district-level health care; prioritizing the recruitment of doctors, attracting human resources, enhancing human resource training for lower-level health care, gradually eliminating the boundaries between provincial and district levels, remote and especially difficult areas.

Paying attention to training doctors who are “both red and professional”, the medical ethics and morality of doctors in the province are constantly being cultivated. The quality of medical examination and treatment and patient satisfaction are increasingly improved (through meetings with voters, dialogues with people and People's Council meetings, people's opinions, recommendations and reflections on the spirit and service attitude of medical staff have decreased significantly compared to previous years).

PV: In the past 3 years, Nghe An’s health sector has faced a huge challenge called the “COVID-19 pandemic”. During this period, how has the “Kind Mother” quality of a medical practitioner been demonstrated?

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh:In the past 3 years, when translatingCovid-19spread and broke out on a large scale, the health sector has been proactive, active, and strongly advised the province on many synchronous and effective solutions. And at the same time, it has well implemented two tasks: both preventing the epidemic and deploying vaccination quickly, promptly and safely for the people.

Taking Covid-19 test samples for people in the highlands. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Implementing epidemic prevention, since the first 4 infected cases were citizens entering the country in April 2021 until now, thousands of officers and employeesmedicalof the Nghe An health sector had to work day and night; racing every minute, every hour to fight the Covid-19 epidemic and inject vaccines. In the midst of hot days, in tight protective suits, health workers still diligently collected samples from the community. On cold winter nights, health workers still groped their way by flashlight to villages and hamlets to conduct investigations, trace, and collect samples for high-risk subjects, avoiding missing suspected subjects. Wherever there were infections, wherever there were still people who had not been vaccinated, health workers were present. They carried out their duties as beloved Uncle Ho had instructed: “We must throw ourselves into dirty places to clean them, we must throw ourselves into places of suffering to reduce suffering. A good doctor must be like a mother.”

Looking back at the recent epidemic prevention period, it must be said that Nghe An medical units and medical staff encountered many difficulties and hardships but still tried their best without complaining. The spirit of solidarity, unanimity, determination and effort has permeated every medical staff, every unit... With unified direction and management from top to bottom, units in the industry have coordinated smoothly to effectively fight the epidemic. This is clearly shown at this time: The number of F0 treated at home has increased, F0 on the 3rd floor has become more severe, but Nghe An's medical sector is not confused. The medical sector can still respond in the event of a worsening epidemic when the number of patients can increase 3-4 times.

PV: During the recent epidemic prevention period, it can be said that Nghe An medical staff and workers have worked very hard and made many silent sacrifices. What advice and actions has the health sector taken to ensure their rights and encourage their spirit?

Nghe An medical staff set out to help other provinces prevent the Covid-19 epidemic. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh:In the past months of fighting the epidemic, there have been many examples of silent sacrifices and countless losses in the industry. These are doctors and nurses who have not been afraid of hardships, even dangers, and have rushed into epidemic areas, all for the health and lives of the people...

And right now, there are many medical staff who have put aside the joy of celebrating Vietnamese Doctors' Day, still quietly and silently working hard, not afraid of hardship, to focus on fighting the epidemic, protecting the health and safety of the people. It is the silent sacrifices of medical staff that have contributed to enhancing the fine traditions of the medical sector; it is in the midst of hardship, danger, and hardship that has multiplied the people's trust and love for the "White-coat Soldiers" in Uncle Ho's homeland.

In order to contribute to motivating and encouraging medical staff and workers during this epidemic prevention period, our State has had specific policies related to the regime and benefits of the anti-epidemic force. Immediately after the Resolutions, Decrees, and Circulars guiding the policies were issued, the Nghe An Health sector concretized and advised all levels and sectors to implement them... However, it must be said that Nghe An is a poor province with many difficulties in budget payments. It is hoped that in the coming time, localities will try to pay fully and promptly encourage medical staff.

The material encouragement is very good, but it must be emphasized that Nghe An medical staff do not have any concerns about this. For a long time, no medical staff has complained or made any demands regarding the anti-epidemic policies and regimes. The most gratifying thing is that during the recent anti-epidemic period, Nghe An medical staff did not lose human resources - not a single medical staff or employee quit their job due to the difficulty of fighting the epidemic as has happened in some other localities in the country.

Reporter: It is forecasted that in the coming time, Nghe An's health sector will continue to face many difficulties and challenges, from disease prevention to other areas. Could you tell us more about these difficulties and solutions to overcome them so that the sector can continue to develop and grow?

Pressure will increasingly weigh on the Covid-19 treatment system. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh:In the coming time, the health sector has many issues that need to be addressed, of which the biggest challenge is facing the epidemic.Covid-19is becoming more and more complicated and unpredictable. In the context of the whole society adapting to Resolution 128 of the Government; vaccine coverage continues to increase, the trend of community immunity will gradually take place. From here, COVID-19 is considered a common disease. The challenge of the medical sector at this time is no longer taking samples for testing but will be treatment. However, the Nghe An medical sector always determines that difficulties are always present and currently has plans for treating patients.

When the whole society has adapted to Resolution 128, the health sector must do the same, each field from prevention to medical examination and treatment, population, food safety must also have a flexible strategy to perform all tasks well. In the past 2 years, all units in the sector have focused heavily on epidemic prevention work. Now, with the dual goal of "epidemic prevention and professional tasks", units need to continue to try and strive with 200% of their strength to perform well the tasks and goals of the year and the term.

To do this, the entire Nghe An Health sector needs to make efforts, unite and coordinate better. At each unit, it is necessary to promote the role and responsibility of the leader; the exemplary role of each cadre and party member. Each cadre in the Health sector needs to constantly strive to study and follow the moral example of Ho Chi Minh, thoroughly grasp and implement his teachings "A good doctor must also be a good mother"; regardless of position, they must uphold professional ethics, affirm the beautiful image of health workers, worthy of the honor of society.

PV: Thank you!