Vi Thị Đậu examines a patient at the Tam Hợp Commune Medical Station in Quỳ Hợp District. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Tý

NGHỆ AN — With formal and systematic training, many young doctors in Nghệ An Province have chosen to serve in remote and disadvantaged areas, despite the abundant opportunities available in big cities.

In recent years, mountainous districts in the province have successfully recruited more doctors, strategically placing high-quality medical professionals at commune health stations and gradually improving the quality of medical care and treatment.

Youthful dedication

Phan Thị Long, an elderly resident of Vạn Tiến Village in Tam Hợp Commune, Quỳ Hợp District, often suffers from fatigue, low blood pressure, headaches, and dizziness, requiring regular medical attention.

In the past, she had to travel nearly 40km to the Northwest Nghệ An Regional General Hospital for treatment and medication, which was both costly and time-consuming.

However, with the recent assignment of young doctors to her area, she no longer has to endure these long journeys. Access to medical services has become significantly more convenient for her.

"The doctors have high professional qualifications, so their diagnosis and prescription are very accurate. Also, they are enthusiastic, so people feel very secure," said Long. 

After graduating from the Hải Phòng University of Medicine and Pharmacy in 2019, Vi Thị Đậu has worked at the Tam Hợp Commune Health Station.

This is the most populous commune in Quỳ Hợp District with nearly a thousand patients coming in for examinations and treatment every month.

However, the station's infrastructure, as well as necessary machinery and equipment, have not been invested in, so she finds work difficult, especially in 2020 and 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. 

Đậu believes that to enhance the examination and treatment quality, it is necessary to have more modern equipment.

With the desire to give back to his hometown, after graduating from the University of Medicine in Vinh City, Nghệ An Province, 31-year-old Sầm Thành Tài, an ethnic Thái man, applied to work in Quỳ Hợp mountainous district.

Soon after, Tài was transferred to the Châu Lộc Commune Health Station.

With his dedication and enthusiasm, Tài quickly gained the people’s trust.

After a short time, the number of patients coming to the station for examination increased from about 90 people per month to more than 230.

Now, Tài is working at the Nghĩa Xuân Commune Health Station in Quỳ Hợp District.

Tài said that most of the people in the areas where he had been working are poor ethnic ones. They often use plants and traditional medicine for disease treatment, so many unfortunate cases have occurred.  

“I wished to return to my hometown to work, help people access health care services and improve their health,” he said.

Working at the health station also requires him and his colleagues to be close to local people.

“Thanks to that, I have gained more experience and skills,” said Tài.

In addition to working at the health station, he travels to remote villages every month to educate local people on ways to prevent and control infectious diseases. 

More human resources

Not only promoting human resources for commune health stations, in recent years, attracting doctors to health centres in mountainous districts has gradually improved medical examinations and treatment quality in the area.

The head of the Administrative Organisation Division under the Quỳ Hợp District Medical Centre, Nguyễn Thị Thu Thảo, said that the centre has hired 22 pharmacists and doctors since 2019. 

They have contributed significantly to health care at the grassroots level, reducing overloading in the upper levels.

Deputy Director of the Tương Dương District Medical Centre, Trần Văn Công, said that during the past five years, the locality has had 29 doctors, including five working at commune health stations and 24 working at the district medical centre.

Young doctors directly examine and treat patients and participate in emergency support.

At the same time, they help doctors at the district general hospital to update their professional knowledge and skills.

In previous years, recruiting doctors to work in communes and districts in mountainous areas was a significant challenge, but it has now become more favourable. 

That is because many people in mountainous areas passed the entrance exams to medical universities and wish to return to their hometown to work.

Implementing Decision No 01/2015/QĐ-UBND, which stipulates specific policies to support public health development, after nearly ten years, Nghệ An Province’s health sector has recruited nearly 300 doctors to consolidate grassroots health care.  

However, the province still has 30 health stations without doctors. Therefore, it must use physicians to perform medical examinations and treatments. 

On July 18 last year, the Politburo issued Resolution No 39-NQ/TW on developing Nghệ An Province to 2030, with a vision to 2045. 

Under the resolution, Nghệ An is determined to become the centre of the north central region in terms of health. — VNS