To multiply and improve operation quality

With the goal of helping people to quickly access medical services, mobile medical stations in localities have operated continuously on 24/7 h basis to help thousands of Covid-19 patients recover and stay healthy. This is an innovative model that not only helps people access health care the fastest and earliest from the grassroots level but also helps Binh Duong quickly control the epidemic, so it needs to be replicated and implemented more comprehensively.

Staff at the mobile medical station in Thai Hoa ward of Tan Uyen town visit, examine and distribute medicines to Covid-19 patients for quarantine and treatment at home

Medical demands rapidly met

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nam of Binh Thuan quarter at Thuan Giao ward in Thuan An city was found positive in a quick test in the neighborhood. Through screening, the staff of the mobile health station determined that Ms. Nam met 2 conditions of mild illness to be able to self-caring, so she decided to give Ms. Nam medical quarantine for treatment at home. After receiving the positive result, Mrs. Nam was very confused and worried and insisted that the ward medical staff should transfer her to a higher level of the triage for treatment. After being explained by the medical staff, Mrs. Nam understood that she had become F0, but her symptoms were mild with no signs of pneumonia or lack of oxygen nor underlying diseases, obesity, pregnancy, of age under 50, sane, able to self-medicated according to doctor's prescription, self-hygiene, and good ability to use cell phone to contact health authorities and especially have had 1 dose of vaccine. Being guided by the mobile health station staff and dedicated to care-taking and monitoring at home, she was assured of the treatment. Now, she is completely cured and has fully recovered.

Or the case of Mr. Dang Van Truc at Tan Hiep ward in Tan Uyen town. After 3 days of quarantine and treatment at home, by the evening of the 4th day, Mr. Truc showed signs of worsening such as shortness of breath, breathing rate of 25 times a minute, rapid pulse, low blood pressure, constant chest pain and tightness. Mr. Truc called the hotline of the ward's mobile health station and was transported to a medical facility for timely emergency treatment. According to Mr. Truc, the establishment of mobile medical stations has provided timely support to the people.

These are just 2 out of thousands of F0 cases quarantined and treated at home that are classified, screened, transferred, and treated by the mobile medical station. 47 mobile medical stations have covered two localities with a high number of F0 in the province including Thuan An city and Tan Uyen town. In the situation of manpower shortage with only 22 doctors, 88 staff and volunteers; these 47 mobile medical stations are operating at full capacity and have monitored and cared for 1,036 F0, dispensed medicines for 2,773 F0 at home, health counseling for 6,471 cases and first aids for 345 severe cases.

Model replication

From the effectiveness of the mobile medical stations in "densely red areas", it shows that the acumen and creativity of leaders at all levels have helped people to access health care at the fastest and earliest manners right from the grassroots level. The model also affirms the policy of the government, the Ministry of Health, the provincial Party Committee and the provincial People's Committee "to make communes and wards fortresses against the Covid-19 epidemic and the people to be soldiers on the front of Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control" is completely consistent with the laws and current epidemic situation of Binh Duong and the country in general. Realizing the effectiveness of the model, the Standing provincial Party Committee advocated the coverage of mobile health stations not only in "red zones" and "yellow zones" but also in "green zones". In just about a week, the whole province have been covered by 142 mobile medical stations in residential areas and industrial clusters.

Evaluating the mobile medical station model, Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, Director of Department of Health, said that thanks to the effective operation of the mobile medical station, many F0 quarantined at home have confidently treated themselves and overcome Covid-19. However, currently the force participating in mobile medical stations is still weak and lacking. There are employees who have to work continuously from morning to night while providing health advice, receiving and handling support requests from F0s to dispensing medicines to monitor health status at home, transferring to and fro hospitals, performing testing and vaccination drives, making them very stressful and overloaded. Medical equipment and supplies are limited such as lack of 5-kg oxygen canisters and difficulties in handling administrative procedures for Covid-19 patients at home.

According to Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, in order to overcome the above difficulties, in the coming time, the health sector will gather human resources to establish a common system of medical supplies, drugs, oxygen cylinders, generators, etc. while simplifying administrative procedures. In terms of human resources, in the short term, the source of military medical staff are to support and coordinate with the local operations, but in the long term, on-site training is required. Currently, the Department has assigned the Medical College and Medical School of Becamex IDC to train human resources to continue operating the mobile medical station when the military medical forces complete their tasks.

Because Binh Duong has many industrial zones and clusters, the provincial leaders are always concerned about establishing a network of mobile medical stations in industrial zones and clusters for workers. In the spirit of not for perfectionism, just doing and perfecting, learning from experience, the province has agreed to the policy of training and fostering 1,300 health workers including 600 officials and employees for mobile medical stations. On such basis, the health sector develops special policies for the stations and invests in medical equipment and reorganizes human resources from public and private sources, retired staff and volunteers. By September 30 at the latest, 100% of communes, wards and townships must have at least 1 mobile medical station each and expand more hospital beds at the existing medical stations while consolidating and improving the quality of operations in order to do both the primary health care for the people and Covid-19 prevention and control at the grassroots level; and, by October 31 at the latest, industrial zones and clusters in the province must be covered with mobile medical stations.

Reported by Kim Ha - Translated by Vi Bao