Doctors at Việt Nam's Level-2 Field Hospital  join an online training session with their Indian counterpart in South Sudan. — Photos courtesy of the hospital

BENTIU — Vaccinations, variants, and air transport for COVID-19 patients in South Sudan were among a number of topics discussed at an online training session, held over two days, between Vietnamese and Indian doctors working in the African nation, facilitated by the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

The two-day online training, which ended on Tuesday, involved medical officers of two level-2 field hospitals in South Sudan. One is run by Việt Nam and the other by India.

Senior Colonel Nguyễn Bá Hưng, Senior National Representative of Việt Nam in United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS): “I hope that the experience and knowledge shared in the training will help participants improve their professional competencies and the quality of patient care. I also hope that the two units maintain cooperation in all aspects and continue to organise similar activities in the future.”

He said he highly appreciated the professional exchange.

The successful training session would further tighten the close relationship between Việt Nam and India, he said.

The Vietnamese medical team discussed vaccinations. They will be responsible for vaccinating 500 individual UN personnel. It will also support other units in vaccinating people, monitoring post-vaccination reactions and managing any complications that may arise.

Việt Nam's Level-2 Field Hospital in South Sudan will be in charge of vaccinating 500 UN personnel.

Regarding transporting critical COVID-19 cases, Captain Đinh Văn Hồng, head of the aeromedical evacuation team, discussed complicated scenarios that occur transporting COVID-19 patients including situations in which endotracheal intubation or pneumothorax treatment for the patient is required.

The two sides also discussed other common issues they have come across working in South Sudan like snakebites and acute coronary syndrome.

Việt Nam’s Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 3 based in Bentiu, South Sudan is tasked with serving and treating United Nations staff. They also offer treatment for local people on humanitarian grounds.

The hospital has 63 staff, including 19 doctors, three pharmacists and 25 nurses and technicians. — VNS