Nghe An: Agree to establish Covid-19 treatment area at district level

Covid-19 "transitional" time

At this point, Vietnam cannot yet consider Covid-19 an endemic disease (also known as “endemic disease”). Covid-19 is still a group A infectious disease (a particularly dangerous group). However, the Ministry of Health has made new moves to normalize the Covid-19 epidemic.

Treatment for Covid-19 patients in Nghe An. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In general, in the past 7 days, the number of new Covid-19 cases in the provinceNghe Analways at a high level, over 10,000 cases per day, ranking 2nd nationwide. However, according to the Nghe An Department of Health, this statistic is just the tip of the "iceberg". There are currently many people infected with Covid-19 but not declared. The update of new infections in localities is slow... On March 9, the Department of Health registered 45,896 new infections; bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases recorded in the area to 264,345.

Also according to the Nghe An Department of Health: In the past 7 days, there have been Covid-19 patients who have died. All patients are elderly, have not been vaccinated or have not received enough doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and have underlying diseases. Most Covid-19 patients are asymptomatic or in mild condition and are treated at home. The number of patients admitted to the 2 field hospitals and Nghe An Intensive Care Center No. 1 (where severe and critical Covid-19 patients are treated) has decreased. Currently, Field Hospital No. 8 is only treating about 300 patients; the Intensive Care Center is treating about 150 patients... a decrease of more than half compared to last month.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh - Director of Nghe An Department of Health: The epidemic situation combined with the coverage of vaccines has shown the trend towards living with the Covid-19 epidemic, community immunity will be inevitable. The current requirement of the whole society is to soon normalize with the Covid-19 epidemic... This time is considered the "transition" time between considering Covid-19 from a group A infectious disease to an endemic disease.

During this “transitional” period, many regulations on epidemic prevention and control (especially in treatment) are no longer suitable for the current epidemic situation, requiring change. For example, the field hospital model for admitting and treating mild patients is overloaded due to the rapid increase in infections; the cost of treating Covid-19 patients is guaranteed by the state budget, but most local budgets are very difficult... With the developments and trends of the epidemic, normalization in Covid-19 treatment needs to be raised soon.

Information from the Ministry of Health: Since the beginning of the epidemic, Vietnam has6,552,918 Covid-19 cases, ranked 20/225 countries and territories, while with the rate of infections per 1 million people, Vietnam ranked 130/225 countries and territories (on average, there are 66,309 infections per 1 million people). Currently, the number of new Covid-19 infections in Vietnam is still increasing rapidly. In the past 7 days, the average number of new infections recorded each day is 166,671 cases/day. However, the number of deaths per day has decreased compared to the previous period, from over 100 cases/day to 81 cases/day... Up to now, the total number of deaths due to Covid-19 in Vietnam is 41,477 cases, accounting for 0.7% of the total number of infections.

Regarding the Covid-19 vaccination situation, the whole country has administered 200,516,229 doses of Covid-19 vaccine. Of which, 47/63 provinces and cities have a coverage rate of the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine of over 95%; The remaining 16/63 provinces and cities have a coverage rate of the second dose from 90% to under 95%; 57 provinces and cities have covered over 90% of children aged 12-17 with Covid-19 vaccine.

Be proactive to fight the epidemic

In response to practical requirements, on March 9, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Document No. 1509/UBND-VX on the establishment of a reception area and implementation of receiving patients with diseases associated with Covid-19 infection at public medical examination and treatment facilities. Accordingly, the Provincial People's Committee agreed with the proposal of the Department of Health to allow public medical examination and treatment facilities from the district level and above (including specialized hospitals) to organize the reception, admission and treatment of patients with diseases (associated with Covid-19 infection) who meet the criteria for inpatient treatment at the unit.

The Provincial People's Committee assigned the establishment of Covid-19 reception and treatment areas at public medical examination and treatment facilities as follows: The Department of Health issued a decision to establish and mobilize human resources at Covid-19 reception and treatment areas of medical examination and treatment facilities for provincial-level medical examination and treatment facilities, in accordance with the situation and developments of the Covid-19 epidemic and the reality in the area. The People's Committees of districts, towns and cities established and mobilized human resources at Covid-19 reception and treatment areas of medical examination and treatment facilities for district-level medical examination and treatment facilities (including the Northwest and Southwest Regional General Hospitals) in accordance with the situation and developments of the Covid-19 epidemic and the reality in the area, reporting to the Department of Health before implementation...

Establishing Covid-19 treatment facilities from the district level upwards brings many benefits to patients. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Immediately after the issuance of Document No. 1509/UBND-VX of the Provincial People's Committee, the Nghe An Department of Health drafted a temporary guideline for implementing the Treatment Area for patients with diseases (including Covid-19) in public medical examination and treatment facilities from the district level and above in Nghe An province.

The request of the Provincial People's Committee to establish a collection area and deploy the reception of patients with diseases associated with Covid-19 infection at public medical examination and treatment facilities clearly demonstrates the initiative of Nghe An in general, and the health sector in particular, in adapting to epidemic prevention in new conditions and trends. Dr. Nguyen Huu Le - Deputy Director of the Department of Health said: The establishment of new treatment areas aims to expand treatment facilities to cope with epidemic situations that may worsen (new strains, increased and severe infections); reduce the load on field hospitals, and gradually reduce and close field hospitals when the Covid-19 epidemic becomes endemic; at the same time, create financial initiative in the context of local budget difficulties with the use of health insurance funds for examination and treatment of Covid-19 and other diseases.

Doctor Nguyen Hong Truong - Director of Vinh City General Hospital said: The establishment of treatment areas at public medical examination and treatment facilities at district level and above will ensure good benefits for patients. Specifically, it will change the situation of "Hospitals cautiously taking care of epidemic prevention, patients do not dare to go for examination because of fear of Covid-19". Patients with underlying diseases, patients who need periodic treatment (dialysis, diabetes, cancer, mental illness, blood diseases...) and other acute diseases when infected with Covid-19 are guaranteed the right to medical examination and treatment; receive better care and treatment... Regarding medical examination and treatment facilities assigned to treat Covid-19 patients, the workload will also be reduced.

On March 14, the Nghe An Department of Health held a meeting with the Department of Finance and the provincial Social Insurance to collect opinions on the draft of temporary guidelines for implementing the Treatment Zone, specifically regarding the funding source for implementation. However, it must be said that the establishment of the above-mentioned treatment zone is unprecedented, without specific guidance from ministries, departments and branches. The departments and branches participating in collecting opinions have not been able to agree on the implementation funding plan, which is the provincial budget to support the cost of Covid-19 treatment and which is the Health Insurance Fund to pay...

Departments and branches are in high agreement: The establishment of treatment areas is necessary and good for the people. The funding for implementation is all from the budget. However, current regulations do not keep up with the developments of the epidemic. The Department of Health, Department of Finance and Social Insurance will send documents to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam Social Security and the Provincial People's Committee to ask for specific instructions on implementation.