People in Tân Triều Commune, Thanh Trì District pick up results after COVID testing at a mobile health centre. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI-- Large numbers of people standing in line waiting for quick tests to confirm whether they have contracted or recovered from COVID-19 have raised concerns about the risk of cross-infection and cumbersome administrative procedures.

The rapid increase of F0 cases has put tremendous pressure on grassroots medical stations to handle new cases.

In recent days, many have said it was challenging to call ward health stations to inform them that they or family members had tested positive for coronavirus.

“I called many times on the hotline of the ward’s medical centre, but no one picked up the phone,” said Nguyễn Thu Lan, 37, in Vĩnh Phúc Ward, Ba Đình District.

Huyền Nga, a woman in Trung Văn Ward, Nam Từ Liêm District, said that no one answered her calls, so a relative had to go to the ward health centre to meet medical staff and was asked to send the result of the quick test.

Head of the Mê Linh District Health Centre, Nguyễn Kiến Dụ, said that due to the rapid increase of F0 cases in recent days, most medical stations were overloaded.

“Being a health station chief, I am responsible for signing confirmations for F0 cases, recovered cases, and F0 cases being isolated at home or who need to be hospitalised,” Dụ said. “It is really overloaded.”

The medical station head is usually a professional doctor who can guide the best treatment for patients, especially in serious cases. But due to the many administrative procedures, the heads of ward health centres often have to be in charge. There is little time to advise patients.

Mê Linh District is establishing mobile medical stations run by the Vice Chairmen of communes to help deal with procedures for F0 patients.

According to social insurance regulations, COVID patients who want to receive insurance benefits have to get a certificate paper signed by the grassroots medical centre. VNS