Those who silently and steadfastly venture into the epidemic zone.
(Baonghean.vn) - Clearly understanding their position on the front lines of the fight against the epidemic, the officials of the Provincial Center for Disease Control accept sacrifices to protect the health of the people. They are still happy because of their quiet commitment to "prevention is better than cure"; happy with their dedication to their profession, because they have brought economic, social, and peace-of-mind benefits to the people... and then confidently move forward into the epidemic zone.
PRESSURES AND HARDSHIPS
In the early days of the fight against the epidemicCovid-19It is very difficult to meet the doctors and nurses of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Department, Provincial Center for Disease Control (CDC). They are constantly on the move. Doctors and nurses might have just been in one district investigating and monitoring cases returning from an outbreak area, and a few hours later they're at a quarantine facility collecting samples for testing. By the end of the day, they're in another district tracing F1 and F2 contacts.
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| Leaders of the Nghe An Department of Health and CDC officials stopped a passenger bus carrying people suspected of having the disease at midnight. Photo: Tien Hung |
The risk of an outbreak is high. Work piles up, day after day. Dr. Nguyen Trong Di, Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, is constantly stressed and exhausted from investigating, monitoring, and tracing cases.
Doctor Di shared: “A workday starts at 6 a.m. and usually ends at 2-3 a.m. the next day. Lunch is at 3-4 p.m., and dinner is at 9-10 p.m. We work tirelessly, aiming to find F1, F2, and F3 contacts and bring them in for isolation and testing. When we're too tired, we sleep wherever we can, recover a little, and then get up to continue working.”
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| Taking Covid-19 test samples from people arriving in Nghe An province from epidemic areas. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| Doctor Nguyen Trong Di recounted: "In the early days of the pandemic, I had to leave my wife and children with my mother-in-law so I could devote myself entirely to my work." (Photo: Thanh Cuong) |
Dr. Bui Thu Thuy, Head of the Laboratory Department, said: “In the past and present, the staff and technicians in the department have been working day and night to meet deadlines. They eat and rest at the department, and everyone strives their best. Protective suits, gloves, and masks are indispensable. Each sample collection and testing session lasts 8-9 hours, and when they take off their protective gear, they are drenched in sweat. In over a year of fighting the epidemic, Nghe An province has tested nearly 36,000 samples, making it one of the provinces with the highest number of tests in the country. That is a very proud achievement, but very few people know the hardship and pressure of the work.”
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| On average, CDC Nghe An testing staff have to wear protective clothing and work tirelessly in the testing lab for 8-9 hours each day. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| Communication officers from the Nghe An CDC regularly visit quarantine areas to closely monitor and report on developments in the epidemic situation. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| Dr. Pham Dinh Du, Deputy Director of the Nghe An CDC, said: "There hasn't been a single day when the director or deputy director has received fewer than 100 calls related to Covid-19." (Photo: Thanh Cuong) |
"There hasn't been a single day when the director or deputy director receives fewer than 100 calls. Sometimes, during meals, they have to stand up seven or eight times to answer the phone, and by the time they return, the food has already gone cold..."
UNITY AND EFFORT FOR THE COMMUNITY
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| Officials from the Nghe An CDC conduct health declarations for foreign experts entering Nghe An to work. Photo: Thanh Cuong. |
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| Provincial leaders, the Department of Health, and the CDC of Nghe An province inspect the epidemic prevention and control plan at a medical facility. Photo: Thanh Hoa. |
"It's tough, but not a single person at the center has complained or said they couldn't do it. Everyone is making an effort, being self-motivated, united, and working together to fight the epidemic."
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| The Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province inspects and evaluates the activities of the laboratory and the Nghe An CDC. Photo: Thanh Hoa. |
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| Leaders of the Nghe An CDC inspect and supervise the work of preventing, controlling, and treating dengue fever in Dien Chau district. Photo: Thanh Chung |
The healthcare workers at the Nghe An CDC silently and diligently carry out their disease control duties day and night, without thinking about future successes or recognition. While the results of a doctor's work in a treatment facility are often immediately apparent – a patient's quick recovery, a successful surgery – the results of those working in disease prevention can only be statistically measured after 1-2 years, or even 10-15 years. They are still happy with their quiet dedication to "prevention is better than cure"; happy with their commitment to their profession, and with the economic, social, and social benefits they have brought to the people... and then confidently move forward into epidemic zones.
