View from Que Phong
In early March 2013, the Ministry of Health announced a plan to implement a project starting in June to send young, capable doctors, newly graduated from medical universities, to volunteer in the 30a districts to serve the people's health care needs. As one of the three districts in Nghe An province participating in the Government's 30a program, how has Que Phong responded to this initiative?
(Baonghean)In early March 2013, the Ministry of Health announced a plan to implement a project starting in June to send young, capable doctors, newly graduated from medical universities, to volunteer in the 30a districts to serve the people's health care needs. As one of the three districts in Nghe An province participating in the Government's 30a program, how has Que Phong responded to this initiative?
When we mentioned the Ministry of Health's policy, not only the people but also the officials in Que Phong district expressed their enthusiasm. Mr. Sam Van Duyet, Chief of the Que Phong District Party Committee Office, said: "It can be said that this is a very correct and timely policy from the higher authorities. When implemented, it will not only help reduce the burden on higher-level medical facilities but also directly meet the needs of the people by providing them with direct examination and treatment by qualified doctors."
Dr. Mac Van Lam, Director of the Preventive Medicine Center of Que Phong District, stated that the project to strengthen the number of young doctors in the 30a districts is a continuation of the policy to strengthen grassroots healthcare according to Project 1816 of the Ministry of Health. However, the difference this time is the reinforcement of young, newly graduated doctors with excellent expertise to the district-level healthcare system. In fact, although there is no specific plan from the Department of Health or the Provincial People's Committee, when we raised the issue, from the Preventive Medicine Center to Que Phong General Hospital – one of the two main public healthcare facilities in Que Phong district – they already envisioned the areas and tasks requiring increased personnel.
The Que Phong District Preventive Health Center was established in 2007 and separated in 2010, boasting a fairly spacious and well-equipped facility. Currently, the center has 8 doctors and 2 nurses, with one staff member assigned monthly to supervise and direct activities at the grassroots level; it is responsible for managing 14 commune health stations. In Que Phong, most communes benefit from the investment of Program 135/TTg (now the National Target Program), so the infrastructure at the commune health stations is relatively complete; 11 out of 14 health stations already had doctors, but according to Project 1816 in 2010, the hospital reinforced the staff with 2 doctors, and the Health Center reinforced the staff with 1 doctor, so now every commune has a doctor.
According to Dr. Mac Van Lam, if more young doctors are added, the center urgently needs doctors in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology. Due to the unique characteristics of being a border district, the people, including women, are accustomed to a nomadic lifestyle and lack knowledge about prenatal care; pregnant women rarely go for check-ups. The purpose of increasing the number of doctors at the district level is to provide emergency care and handle difficult births on-site, along with other illnesses. Based on the evaluation of the results of the project to strengthen the number of doctors in remote and disadvantaged areas, practical experience shows that if young, qualified doctors are added, their rights and benefits must be fully considered, as committed, so that they can work with peace of mind and serve the people.
Doctors at Tien Phong Commune Health Station examine patients.
Medical examination at Tien Phong Commune Health Station.
Regarding the need for additional doctors, it's not just district-level health centers that need them, but also commune-level ones. Dr. Vi Van Kim, Head of the Tien Phong Commune Health Station, said: "Most communes in the district are classified as particularly disadvantaged and receive preferential healthcare policies. The station has 7 staff members (3 men, 4 women). If we could increase the number of doctors, a specialist in obstetrics would be ideal. However, given the current conditions, we should only reinforce the station with young doctors from the district level because the commune level lacks the necessary equipment, and their work is simply examining patients and dispensing health insurance medication. Treatment is already handled by the District General Hospital and the District Health Center."
Unlike the preparations of the District Preventive Health Center, at the time of implementing the Ministry of Health's Project to strengthen the number of young doctors in District 30a, Que Phong General Hospital was in the process of providing feedback on the development of a Project to improve the quality of medical examination and treatment for the people in the 2013-2015 and 2016-2020 periods, as directed by the Department of Health. Currently, the hospital has 11 departments and a total of 108 staff members, of which only 4 specialists (level 1), 1 pharmacist, 26 medical assistants, 25 nurses, and 8 midwives are involved in examination and treatment.
Given the current situation, the hospital is facing a severe shortage of doctors, not only in the long term but also currently.
Dr. Sam Van Thuy, Head of the General Planning Department at Que Phong General Hospital, said: To improve the quality of medical examination and treatment, the hospital needs about 6 more doctors from now until 2015. If young doctors are recruited according to the Ministry of Health's policy, the hospital will need about 4 doctors, including 1 specialist, 1 anesthesiologist, 2 anesthesia technicians, and 1 trauma surgeon. Currently, the hospital only has 1 anesthesiologist, so in some cases, patients have to be transferred to higher-level hospitals.
Currently, with a capacity of 90 beds, Que Phong District General Hospital examines an average of over 60,000 patients annually, with inpatient treatment ranging from 5,500 to 5,900 people, and approximately 120-130 patients examined daily. The hospital is considered one of the district-level hospitals that performs well in providing local examination and treatment for common and basic illnesses for the people, with the rate of patients referred to higher-level hospitals within acceptable limits; the medical staff, including doctors and nurses, have generally met the requirements of their duties. According to the plan, in 2013, the hospital will establish a Traditional Medicine Department, and in 2016-2017, it will add three more departments: Obstetrics and Gynecology, ENT, Dentistry, and Diagnostic Imaging.
Hopefully, with the addition of young doctors, the quality of examination and treatment at Que Phong General Hospital will continue to improve, contributing to healthcare and building trust among the people.
Nguyen Hai
