Nghe An deploys F0 treatment at home in Vinh city and Cua Lo town

Establishing a mobile medical station to treat F0 at home

January 4, 2021, Provincial People's CommitteeNghe Anhas Document No. 12/UBND-VX "on the implementation of the Mobile Medical Station model in Vinh city and Cua Lo town to manage and care for people withCovid-19at home" sent to the Department of Health, Department of Finance, Provincial Police, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Information and Communications, Social Insurance, provincial departments, branches, sectors and units, Vinh Medical University and People's Committees of districts, cities and towns.

Accordingly, the Provincial People's Committee agreed with the proposal of the Department of Health to pilot the model of Mobile Medical Station in Vinh city and Cua Lo town to manage and care for people with Covid-19 at home.

Previously, treatment for Covid-19 patients was carried out at medical facilities. Photo: Thanh Cuong

According to the document: The cost of food and living expenses during the days of treatment at home (drinking water, towels, masks, hand sanitizer, mouthwash, toothbrush, soap and essential items, other expenses) are paid by the people themselves.

The provincial budget supports various types of expenses, including: medicines, chemicals, consumables, essential medical equipment directly serving treatment; expenses for waste treatment, disinfection spraying; testing for quarantined subjects... Policies and regimes for patients and forces directly involved in treating patients according to regulations. Other related expenses arising during the treatment of patients.

The budget of Vinh city and Cua Lo town covers other remaining related costs, including ensuring the facilities of the Mobile Medical Station; the regime for support forces participating in the epidemic prevention and control tasks of the Mobile Medical Station (except for those directly treating patients); transportation costs... The health insurance fund covers the costs of medical examination and treatment for patients with health insurance cards according to current regulations of the law on health insurance.

The Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Health to issue temporary instructions on implementing the Mobile Health Station model; direct the Vinh City and Cua Lo Town Health Centers to effectively implement the Mobile Health Station model; develop conditions to activate the Mobile Health Station based on the epidemic situation in Vinh City and Cua Lo Town; be responsible for providing professional guidance; direct relevant public and non-public medical facilities to develop plans and be ready to perform tasks at the Mobile Health Station (when required) such as arranging human resources, equipment and other necessary conditions; inspect and supervise the implementation at the units.

The Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Finance to be responsible for guiding and allocating funding to implement the Mobile Medical Station according to regulations; assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to guide and inspect waste management at the gates of households with people being treated for Covid-19, and units that collect, transport, and treat infectious waste according to regulations.

The Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Information and Communications to direct the Provincial Radio and Television Station, Nghe An Newspaper, and the grassroots information system to organize propaganda on the contents of the Guidelines for implementing Mobile Health Stations to manage and care for people with Covid-19 at home; strengthen information and propaganda on the contents of self-monitoring and home care, self-detection of suspected Covid-19 symptoms and reporting to medical staff; organize activities to help people with Covid-19 who are being monitored and treated at home access and use information and communication services effectively.

Assign the Provincial Social Insurance to direct and guide social insurance agencies to coordinate with health insurance examination and treatment facilities to supplement health insurance examination and treatment contracts; advance payment, payment, and settlement of medical examination and treatment costs for health insurance examination and treatment facilities and mobile health stations.

The People's Committees of Vinh City and Cua Lo Town direct relevant departments, offices and units to disseminate and implement procedures for handling Covid-19 patients in the community, production, business and service establishments in the area in accordance with current instructions and regulations.

Conditions for F0 to be treated at home

After receiving the document from the Provincial People's Committee, on the afternoon of January 5, the Nghe An Department of Health held a meeting to discuss the implementation of the Mobile Health Station model in Vinh City and Cua Lo Town to manage and care for people with Covid-19 at home; develop temporary instructions for implementing the Mobile Health Station model.

Each ward and commune must arrange a mobile medical station, located at the Commune/Ward Health Station. Photo: Mai Hoa

Accordingly, each commune/ward in Vinh city and Cua Lo town must arrange 01 Mobile Health Station; requisition 1 to 2 rooms of the Commune/Ward Health Station to arrange a workplace for the Mobile Health Station. Regarding human resources, in addition to professional staff, the People's Committee of the commune/ward shall establish a Team to care for people with Covid-19. The team has at least 02 people, each team manages 10 - 20 people with Covid-19 who are treated at home.

F0s who are treated at home are those aged ≥ 3 months to ≤ 49 years old; have not detected any underlying diseases; have received all doses of vaccine; and have no abnormal health signs. Caregivers for Covid-19 patients under 16 years old or unable to live independently if they wish.

F0s who are not treated at home are pregnant women; children under 16 years old who wish to be treated but do not have a caregiver or the caregiver has underlying medical conditions.

Facilities for F0s to be treated at home must meet the following requirements: Individual housing; apartments in collective housing areas or apartment buildings where Covid-19 patients are registered as permanent or temporary residents; have a private room or house and a separate toilet area for Covid-19 patients... In the patient's room, in front of the house gate, there must be a yellow waste bin. The house must not use central air conditioning, and there must be separate eating and drinking utensils for the patient...

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh, Director of Nghe An Department of Health: In the face of the complicated epidemic situation, isolating, monitoring and treating asymptomatic and mild Covid-19 patients at home is very appropriate and effective. For now, treatment for asymptomatic and mild Covid-19 patients at home is only applied in 02 localities: Vinh city and Cua Lo town - where there are sufficient conditions of facilities, equipment and human resources.

The Department of Health has been directing and guiding relevant localities and units to urgently deploy the Mobile Health Station model in Vinh City and Cua Lo Town to manage and care for Covid-19 patients at home. During the operation, the Department of Health will monitor, supervise and support in all aspects./.