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Strengthening elite forces to support treatment of COVID-19 patients

 
Strengthening elite forces to support treatment of COVID-19 patients

Severe cases being treated at Bac Giang Lung Hospital monitored through cameras.   

NDO - Thousands of health workers from medical facilities and localities across the country have been sent to Bac Giang, the pandemic’s current hotspot, to help the province in its fight against the pandemic. Besides forces to conduct investigations, tracing and testing of the COVID-19 virus, an “elite” and experienced team is also supporting the treatment of people infected with COVID-19 virus.


Immediately after arriving in Bac Giang, the rapid response team from the Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, with13 doctors and nurses specializing in emergencies, biochemistry, infection and others, got to work.

Notably, they are all elite doctors and medical workers with high professional competence who have gained valuable and considerable experience from periods working at pandemic hotspots across the country such as in Da Nang, Kien Giang, and Gia Lai.

The quick response team along with doctors from Bach Mai Hospital, the National Lung Hospital, Hanoi Medical University and others are supporting the treatment and care of COVID-19 patients with the goal of quickly handling serious cases to minimise fatalities. The team has planned for possible situations in treating severe patients such as dialysis, ECMO, the use of ventilators and ultrasound system, and the transportation of emergency patients and others.

During his five days working in Bac Giang so far, doctor Tran Thanh Linh (head of the rapid response team from the Cho Ray Hospital) and other team members have monitored and provided treatment, emergency and resuscitation for severely ill COVID-19 patients in Bac Giang Lung Hospital.

With their experience from previous severe epidemics as well as being armed with research on new strains, doctors have predicted the risks and the number of patients. However, each outbreak has its own characteristics, this outbreak in Bac Giang has caused more lung damage, more quickly than the previous pandemic waves.

The team has received three cases needing mechanical ventilation and continuous dialysis and seven cases needing high-flow oxygen, including one with a very poor prognosis, but the patient was promptly handled and their condition has begun to be improved.

Linh said that cases in Bac Giang put his team under more stress and pressure because the number of seriously ill patients has increased rapidly and most of the cases involved the young. There are not many elderly patients with underlying diseases like the outbreak in Da Nang, but because of the new strains of the virus, severe cases are appearing more often.

As the number of infected people continues to increase, the number of seriously ill patients will also increase. If medical workers do not closely monitor these cases, there is a risk of death. We are determined to save all cases, Linh said. The medical team from Cho Ray Hospital is familiar with their work and is controlling the treatment of severe cases in Bac Giang.

Bach Mai Hospital, Hue Central Hospital and health sectors from Yen Bai and Lao Cai have also sent forces to Bac Giang to help the province in its treatment regime. Hue Central Hospital sent a delegation of 18 members specialising in anesthesia resuscitation, active resuscitation, cardiovascular resuscitation nursing, nutrition, infection control, antitoxicity, and others to the province. The delegation will be in charge of a field hospital and cooperate with other units, depending on the actual situation.

In order to meet the on-site treatment demands of COVID-19 patients in Bac Giang, the Ministry of Health is setting up two Intensive Care Units (ICUs) at Bac Giang Lung Hospital and at Bac Giang Psychiatric Hospital, which will be operated by the rapid response team from Cho Ray Hospital and a team from Bach Mai Hospital.

The ICU at Bac Giang Lung Hospital has a capacity of 58 beds and is monitoring and providing intensive treatment for more than 20 patients with mechanical ventilation and dialysis.

Today, June 2, the ICU at Bac Giang Psychiatric Hospital with its 100 beds, the largest capacity in the northern provinces, also officially goes into operation, providing treatment for severely infected people.

Amid the increasing number of people hospitalised for COVID-19 treatment including many seriously ill patients, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control under the Ministry of Health, on June 1, proposed Hue Central Hospital, Bach Mai Hospital, Huu Nghi Hospital, Da Nang C Hospital, and health departments of Hanoi, Da Nang, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc, Bac Kan, Tuyen Quang, Hai Duong, and Hung Yen send medical workers to Bac Giang to support the treatment of severe patients.

The Ministry of Health stated that, doctors sent to Bac Giang must be specialised in emergency resuscitation with CKI level or higher, and be proficient in intubation and mechanical ventilation with priority given to those having dialysis and ECMO certificates.

As for nurses, they must have certificates of emergency resuscitation, anesthesia, and be proficient in caring for patients in emergency resuscitation scenarios.

Meanwhile, pharmacists should be clinical pharmacists with experience in preparing a large amount of drugs and medical consumables, especially medicines used for emergency resuscitation. In addition, laboratory technicians must have bachelor's degrees in testing/biochemistry and hematology. These medical workers will be sent to work in the ICUs at Bac Giang Psychiatric Hospital.


Successful treatment of 11 serious COVID-19 patients

In May, doctors from the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases provided treatment for nearly 500 COVID-19 cases, of which about 90 had serious underlying conditions that needed close monitoring.

Notably, the doctors tried their best to treat and save nine seriously ill people who had to be on ventilators. Particularly on May 31, there were two serious cases (patients No. 3,263 and 3,207) who miraculously overcame their critical crisis. During the treatment period, two women experienced safe cesarean sections.

The Treatment Subcommittee (National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control) said that of the total number of COVID-19 patients being treated, there are 125 patients with a severe prognosis, 104 cases needing oxygen, 29 cases of non-invasive mechanical ventilation, and 24 cases in critical condition with four cases requiring ECMO intervention.



MAI HOANG

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