Strengthening Infection and Prevention Control of COVID-19 in Hospitals

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A doctor of Long Khanh Regional General Hospital gives medical examination to patients who are inpatient treatment. All inpatient patients must wear a mask.

Keeping tight control

Accordingly, all patients, patients' families, and visitors to the hospital shall have their temperature checked again in the waiting area and inside the hospitals. After that, they will be taken to a field clinic set up right at the entrance to the hospital to conduct medical declaration, quick hand disinfection.

Nurse Vo Thi Ngoc Anh said that all nurses and doctors in the hospital took turns to be on duty at the field clinic to receive patients. When the patient or patient's family member enters the field clinic, the medical staff asks to keep a distance of 2m, asks their full name, age, address, and purpose of the hospital; ask whether or not they have come back from a province or city that has been epidemic in the country or abroad recently, whether in contact with someone who is sick or has symptoms of cough, fever, etc. “Patients who do not show signs of cough, fever, do not return, come from the epidemic area and are safe will be instructed to enter the examination area. In cases where there are signs of suspicion, medical staff will guide the path to the Department of Infectious Diseases.” – Ms. Ngoc Anh share.

Department of Infectious Diseases of Long Khanh Regional General Hospital has 2 zones: a special isolation area for suspected Covid-19 cases and one for treatment of common infectious diseases. These two zones also have their own paths.

“Currently, a special isolation is quarantining one patient. This person has tested negative but is still monitored for 14 days to ensure safety. Every day, the special quarantine area has 1 doctor and 2 nurses on duty which does not go out, strictly quarantine, prevent and combat epidemics, not affecting other departments and rooms in the hospital.” - Dr. Hoang Thi Phuong Truc, Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Long Khanh Regional General Hospital said.

Creating peace of mind for patients

Patient N.V.T. (living in Tam Hiep Ward, Bien Hoa City) confided that about 2 weeks ago, when he heard that Dong Nai General Hospital had a doctor infected with Covid-19, he was quite worried. However, by following the news, he learned that all those related to the sick doctor were isolated and tested with negative results for SARS-CoV-2, so he was assured to go to the hospital to examination and taking blood pressure, diabetes medicine.

Deputy Director of the Department of Health Le Quang Trung said that, following the instructions of the Ministry of Health, recently the delegation of the Department of Health visited hospitals in the province to check the prevention and control of Covid-19 epidemic in hospitals. Through examination, the majority of units have met the criteria to ensure that hospitals are safe against Covid-19. For some units that do not meet relevant criteria such as infrastructure, isolation rooms, screening area, patient flow, lack of equipment, the delegation has reminded and instructed the unit to seriously implement.

Director of Dong Nai General Hospital Ngo Duc Tuan shared that, after the Oncology Department of the hospital was removed from the blockade, the hospital continues to strictly comply with regulations on screening, segregation, and isolation of patients upon arrival; Only one caregiver per patient, no visit, children not be allowed; wearing masks, disinfect hands when entering the hospital. In addition, the hospital has also set up scenarios to be ready to respond in case of cases. In particular, the hospital also pays attention to departments that treat serious illnesses, elderly patients, have chronic diseases, and have long-term treatment at the hospital; conduct testing immediately for cases with suspicious manifestations to ensure early and timely detection of cases, if any.

At Dong Nai Children's Hospital, Thong Nhat General Hospital, patient seats are spaced out, all people entering the hospital have their temperature measured and initial screening. Thanks to this effective way, over the past few days, the number of patients visiting and treating hospitals has increased compared to half a month ago.

Viet Anh