Nghe An: Increasing human resource support for mobile medical stations to treat F0 at home and place of residence

Since the Lunar New Year 2022 until now, Huy Tap ward (Vinh city) has had over 120 infected cases.COVID-19, of which 120 F0 were treated at home. The ward has been established.Mobile Medical Stationto take care of these F0s. (The ward health station staff consists of 4 people who are also staff of the Mobile Health Station). Due to the large workload, the large number of F0s being treated at home, and the overloaded ward health staff, the support and consultation work for F0s cannot meet the patients' requests and wishes well.

Zalo group supports patients receiving treatment at home in Ha Huy Tap ward. Photo: Thanh Chung

Faced with this difficulty, on February 11, the Steering Committee for Epidemic Prevention and ControlCOVID-19Ha Huy Tap Ward has established a Zalo group to support F0 treatment at home in the ward. The group has invited members to participate, including: members of the Steering Committee, health station staff and COVID-19 patients being treated at home in the area... In particular, the Steering Committee has invited retired and current health workers, doctors and nurses with private clinics located in the area to participate.

In the Zalo group, the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of Ha Huy Tap Ward announced policies, regulations on disease prevention and treatment at home. Patients asked questions related to COVID-19, stated their health conditions. Medical staff answered questions, guided treatment, health care for patients as well as knowledge about the COVID-19 epidemic...

In the group, there are many medical staff who are very enthusiastic and responsible for F0, typically Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Hung - Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Nghe An General Hospital. Dr. Hung is knowledgeable, highly qualified, and very enthusiastic in consulting patients. In just 1 day, this doctor answered hundreds of questions and concerns from patients.

The F0 Treatment Support Group has been welcomed by the people and patients. Patients being treated at home in Ha Huy Tap ward have received many practical and useful direct consultations, in the context of many "hotlines" being overloaded... Patients introduced other patients to join the group. In just 1 day of the Zalo group being established, there were nearly 300 participants. Many patients in other wards, communes, districts and provinces also registered to join this group to receive consultation.

Staff of Nghi Phu Commune Mobile Health Station collect health information of COVID-19 patients being treated at home via phone. Photo: Thanh Chung

Overloaded mobile medical stations - this is the problem that is arising in the process of treating F0 at home in Vinh city at present. The whole city currently has over 2,000 F0 being treated at home. "The fact that the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of Ha Huy Tap ward has formed a Zalo group to support is a good way; clearly demonstrating the motto "4 on-site"; the active participation of the Party Committee, government and people in the work of fighting the epidemic" - - said Dr. Nguyen The Tung - Director of Vinh City Medical Center.

According to Dr. Nguyen The Tung: To solve the problem of overload, currently, the City Medical Center is implementing solutions such as regulating medical staff at the Center and stations; transferring a part of patients to the centralized treatment facility of Vinh city; requesting wards and communes to mobilize retired medical staff, doctors from private clinics, volunteers to participate in vaccination, epidemic prevention, and home care for patients... The Center has also requested the Department of Health to add 16 more doctors and nurses from hospitals in the area to strengthen the mobile medical stations.

At this time, the COVID-19 epidemic is complicated, with many cases without symptoms. Nghe An province has deployed treatment of patients at home/accommodation and established mobile medical stations across 21 districts, cities and towns. However, it must be said that due to the large number of patients being treated at home in some localities, some mobile medical stations are overloaded... In this situation, the Provincial COVID-19 Prevention and Control Command Center and the Nghe An Department of Health have directed localities based on the epidemic situation in the area to urgently consolidate, supplement human resources and expand mobile medical stations.

Nghe An Department of Health inspects the management and care of COVID-19 patients at home in Vinh city. Photo: Thanh Chung

With this direction, not only Ha Huy Tap ward but also many wards, communes and towns in the province have had creative ways similar to those in Quy Hop district, Yen Thanh district... Yen Thanh district at this time has over 1,000 COVID-19 patients being treated at home. To treat these patients, the district has established 39 mobile medical stations. To support the medical stations, the Medical Center has established working teams ready to perform tasks when there is an epidemic situation or vaccination campaigns; supplementing the team of medical staff in hamlets and villages to participate in the mobile medical station. Yen Thanh is also ready to increase medical staff from the District General Hospital to join the station when there are more cases. With the implemented solutions, the treatment of F0 at home in the district has been ensured quite well - Doctor Nguyen Thanh Tung - Director of Yen Thanh District Medical Center said

Information from Nghe An Department of Health: In response to the treatment of F0 at home and at their place of residence in Vinh city, the Department of Health has made a list and assigned 6 doctors and 10 nurses working at public and non-public hospitals in the area to support mobile medical stations in wards and communes... Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh - Director of the Department of Health requested: Medical units, based on the epidemic situation in the area, proactively advise the People's Committees at the district level and the Department of Health to promptly consolidate, supplement human resources and expand mobile medical stations in communes/wards/towns to effectively deploy care and health monitoring of F1 and COVID-19 patients at home/at their place of residence; to avoid a shortage of human resources and patients being unable to contact the mobile medical station or COVID-19 patient care team.