A field hospital has been set up in Tiên Sơn Sports Centre in central Đà Nẵng City for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. — VNA/VNS Photo

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Trường Sơn talks to Tin Tức (News) newspaper on the decision to erect a field hospital in Tiên Sơn Sports Centre in Đà Nẵng City for the treatment of COVID-19 patients

What is your assessment of the current situation of the COVID-19 outbreak in Đà Nẵng City?

At a recent meeting of Government Cabinet members and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on the fight against COVID-19, we all agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic is well under control. All new cases have been treated separately while all F1 cases have been given treatment in a concentrated place. By adopting such a policy, Đà Nẵng authorities hope non-infected people will be safe.

We hope in the near future, COVID-19 will be totally under control and the number of people affected by the virus will be reduced in Đà Nẵng.

What are your assessments of the field hospital erected by Sun Group at the Tiên Sơn Sports Centre?

Following the completion of the Tiên Sơn field hospital, we are happy with the quality of the hospital, in terms of both the construction and the equipment installed in the hospital. It has met all the technical requirements laid down by the Ministry of Health.

Do you have any comments on private enterprises working with Đà Nẵng authorities and health officials in the fight against COVID-19?

Đà Nẵng has strictly implemented the Government’s Directive No.16 on social distancing in all areas which are seriously hit by COVID-19. We have also highly appreciated the big contributions by private enterprises, particularly Sun Group, in the fight against COVID-19 in our city.

The erection of the field hospital in the Tiên Sơn Sports Centre is a shining example from Sun Group. We hope more enterprises will join hands with the city authorities in the fight against COVID-19. We also hope this model will be expanded in other cities and provinces nationwide.

What’s the significance of the field hospital in the fight against COVID-19 in Đà Nẵng?

The hospital was established as per the initiative of Đà Nẵng authorities with advice from the city’s health sector. In my opinion, the erection of a field hospital in the Tiên Sơn Sports Complex is the right decision.

With big support from Sun Group, we now have a field hospital in the city to treat COVID-19 patients.

In Đà Nẵng, two public hospitals, Hòa Vang health centre and the Đà Nẵng Lung Hospital, have been giving treatment to COVID-19 patients. According to our plan, COVID-19 patients with light symptoms will be treated at the Tiên Sơn field hospital and more serious cases will be treated at Hòa Vang health centre and Đà Nẵng Lung Hospital.

What are the challenges the Đà Nẵng authorities are facing in the task of control the spread of COVID-19 in the city?

Before talking about the challenges the city has been facing in the fight against COVID-19, first of all, I should talk about the advantages and then the challenges.

The first advantage is that Đà Nẵng authorities have vowed to do their best in the fight against COVID-19.

Second, the health sector in the city has also done all it can to give tests and treatment to all people and coronavirus patients.

In addition, we have received strong support from enterprises, particularly private enterprises. Meanwhile, other enterprises have procured medical equipment to help the city in the fight against COVID-19.

In the fight against COVID-19, we have received strong support from the public. All people in Đà Nẵng have strictly implemented the Prime Minister’s decision on social distancing - a very important policy which has slashed down the number of people infected with COVID-19.

Last but not least, the active participation of the community is the most important factor leading to our initial success in the current fight against COVID-19.

The first COVID-19 case was detected in the Đà Nẵng General Hospital. Though in the first phase, no patient died due to COVID-19, in the second phase, some patients died with COVID-19, one of the factors leading to their death. That’s why authorities at the Đà Nẵng Hospital have decided to refer serious patients to the Huế Central Hospital.

Meanwhile, two health centres in Hòa Vang Districts and the Đà Nẵng Lung Hospital, all have to create new intensive care units and use modern health equipment, including ECMO, dialysis or hemodialysis to treat severe cases. — VNS