Consider dissolving 6 regional polyclinics in Nghe An

Huoi Tu Regional General Clinic has had no electricity for 4 years now, with few patients. Photo: Thanh Chung

At the meeting, the representative of Nghe An Department of Health presented the Draft plan to review, evaluate and rearrange regional polyclinics in Nghe An province according to Decision No. 30/2008/QD-TTg dated February 22, 2008 of the Prime Minister and Official Dispatch No. 5251/BYT-KCB dated September 18, 2007 of the Ministry of Health.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Xuan Duong and comrades: Le Xuan Dai - Member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee,Permanent Vice Chairman of Provincial People's Committee; Le Minh Thong - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired the meeting.

Accordingly: The Regional General Clinic System in Nghe An has been reviewed, evaluated, and rearranged twice: the first time in 2009, from 43 clinics, 22 clinics were dissolved, leaving 21 clinics; the second time in 2015, 14 clinics were dissolved, leaving 8 clinics.

In the past time, 8 regional general clinics have performed the task of medical examination and treatment for people in remote, isolated and disadvantaged areas and achieved certain results. However, in the past 3 years, many clinics have operated ineffectively due to the lack of facilities, auxiliary works, shared premises of the Commune Health Station, lack of medical equipment; lack of human resources; the number of patients coming for medical examination and treatment has gradually decreased; revenue has decreased, and regular expenses have increased, affecting the overall operation of the units.

Meanwhile, the local health station has doctors, medical equipment has been supplemented, and many new specialized techniques have been deployed. For serious patients, emergency patients are promptly transferred to higher levels.

According to the draft, 6/8 clinics will be dissolved, including: Cat Ngan Clinic (Thanh Chuong); Tay Nghi Loc Clinic (Nghi Loc); Chau Thon Clinic (Que Phong); Huu Khuong Clinic (Tuong Duong); Huoi Tu Clinic, Chieu Luu Clinic (Ky Son). The plan to dissolve these 6 clinics has been carefully studied and received the consent of the above localities.

Medical examination and treatment at Nam Nam Clinic. Photo: Thanh Chung

The two clinics that fully meet the criteria of human resources, material resources, techniques and effective operation that the Department of Health proposed to retain are Yen Hoa Regional General Clinic (Tuong Duong District) and Nam Nam Clinic (Nam Dan District).

At the meeting, the delegates gave many comments on the draft, expressing their concerns about whether or not to dissolve Huu Khuong Clinic and Huoi Tu Clinic. Accordingly, Huu Khuong Clinic is performing the task of examining and treating people in the Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir area. Huoi Tu Clinic examines and treats people in some communes such as Huoi Tu, Pha Danh, Keng Du, Dooc May, Muong Long....

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong requested to carefully consider the dissolution of regional polyclinics in mountainous areas. Photo: Thanh Chung

Nghe An Department of Health also explained the reasons for the dissolution of these two clinics: In recent years, Huoi Tu clinic has not been able to bring in grid power; Huu Khuong clinic is located next to the commune health station; it is necessary to dissolve the general clinic to focus on investing in the health station.

In his concluding remarks, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Xuan Duong stated that in principle, the Provincial People's Committee agrees with the draft to dissolve ineffective clinics, causing waste of human and material resources. However, he requested the Nghe An Department of Health to study, consider carefully, and discuss further with localities about the dissolution of multidisciplinary clinics in mountainous areas before submitting to the Provincial People's Committee for approval./.