Doctors from the Việt Đức Friendship Hospital attend to a patient in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at Field Hospital No 13 in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Improving healthcare for the people requires efforts from all sectors and stakeholders, according to experts at an event celebrating medical workers' contributions in the capital city on Friday.

Dr Nguyễn Viết Nhung, director of the National Lung Hospital said that despite numerous challenges over the past few years, the healthcare sector has always strived to improve.

He added that there is also progress made in technology applications, which allows many patients to access quality treatment instead of having to go abroad like in the past. 

However, Nhung observed that a portion of the medical workforce still doesn’t receive adequate attention, particularly social workers or preventive medicine staff. 

It is only during events such as the COVID-19 pandemic that their important role is recognised.

Phạm Ngọc Dung, head of Hải Hà District Medical Centre in Quảng Ninh Province, said that taking care of people’s health concerns the whole of society.

She said: “The engagement of local authorities is especially important in initial healthcare because they are those who are the closest to people and understand the local characteristics.”

Many hospitals used the pandemic as an opportunity to transform their operations to be more resilient and efficient.

Medical experts during a panel discussion at the event. —VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

Dr Quách Hữu Trung, the director of Hospital 119 in Đà Nẵng City, said that during the outbreaks, the facility gradually switched to online. Meetings, training courses for family medicine, and telehealth sessions with the Hà Nội Medical University Hospital and other units were all held remotely. 

In regard to the exodus of medical workers from the public to the private sector following the pandemic, the director of the National Children’s Hospital Trần Minh Điển said that it is time to revise how employees’ capacities match the job descriptions and compensation, as well as trust between the managerial level and staff.

Đỗ Tất Cường, director of the private hospital Vinmec added that it would be maximum optimisation if the public and private medical system allows for human resources sharing. 

Not every locality has a sufficient number of capable physicians, and therefore this method could mean more patients can receive treatment, he said. 

Communication matters

Medical experts also expressed their gratitude for their work in improving healthcare for people and recognising the efforts of health workers.

Dr Phạm Như Hiệp, director of Huế Central Hospital said he gave high regard to the roles of press agencies in people’s healthcare, especially in the fight against COVID-19.

The event was also attended by many senior journalists from national newspapers and press agencies.

Editor-in-chief of Nhân Dân (People) Newspaper Lê Quốc Minh, who is also deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education and Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association, extended his best wishes to leaders of the health ministry and medical facilities.

He said many reporters worked on the forefront of the combat against the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting efforts by doctors during the fight, while many others travelled to remote and natural disaster-hit areas to cover the news relating to health service there.

Vietnam News Agency’s general director Vũ Việt Trang said many health workers have inspired journalists, saying there are professors, doctors, pharmacists, managers and village midwives who have braved difficulties and hardships, and even risked their lives to create miracles and bring life and health to people.

Press agencies, particularly major ones, will always accompany medical forces, and work together with the health sector in seeking solutions to obstacles, contributing to mobilising the strength of the entire society in health care, she continued.

Deputy health minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên emphasised the role of press agencies in communicating the guidelines of the Party, policies of the State and strategies of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control in a rapid and accurate fashion.

He suggested building close links between the medical sector and press agencies for the public’s health, and that press agencies and media managers should prioritise resources for the communication work in healthcare. — VNS