Strengthening examination and treatment of diseases caused by cold weather after Tet

On February 1, Nghe An Department of Health issued Official Dispatch No. 219/SYT-NVY on ensuring medical examination and treatment after the 2023 Lunar New Year holiday to medical examination and treatment facilities in the province.

Accordingly, after the Lunar New Year holiday of Quy Mao 2023, the number of patients coming for examination and treatment at medical facilities in the province increased, especially diseases related torespiration,stroke...due to the effects of prolonged cold weather.

In cold weather, many stroke patients come to the Stroke Center, Nghe An General Hospital for treatment. Photo: Thanh Chung

To ensure good patient admission and treatment, the Director of the Department of Health requested medical examination and treatment facilities to deploy sufficient emergency medicine, enough hospital beds, and prepare emergency equipment to promptly handle common emergency cases caused by cold weather or unusual weather changes such as cardiovascular diseases, stroke, high blood pressure, acute respiratory infections, and respiratory infections.

Medical examination and treatment facilities must ensure cold protection for patients during examination and treatment at the hospital; waiting areas, examination rooms, and patient treatment rooms must be airtight, have enough blankets, heaters, and appropriate heat retention equipment as required by the Hospital Quality Criteria; properly prevent cold protection for patients' relatives, and do not let patients' relatives lie on cold floors or hallways, which can be harmful to their health.

Director of Nghe An Department of Health visits patients who come for medical examination and treatment due to diseases related to prolonged cold weather. Photo: Thanh Chung

In addition, medical examination and treatment facilities also need to strengthen consultation between levels, when exceeding professional capacity, timely and properly transfer patients; disseminate information to patients and their families about the risks of severe cold weather that adversely affect health, and need to strengthen cold prevention; especially for the elderly and children: houses must be well covered, blankets and mattresses must be warm enough, and they must wear warm clothes before going out.

Warnings to inform people about heating accidents such as burns, CO poisoning due to heating with honeycomb coal in closed houses or the risk of death in children due to parents riding motorbikes in cold weather, children suffocating due to wearing too many warm clothes./.