The 115 Emergency Centre in coordination with the HCM City Department of Information and Communications has a software system that automatically dispatches ambulances to the most needy locations. — Photo courtesy of the 115 Emergency Centre

HCM CITY — HCM City is developing an emergency healthcare network that meets Southeast Asian standards, according to its Department of Health.

Before 2013 only Trưng Vương Emergency Hospital provided emergency services.

It had only five ambulances, but would receive 5,000 calls a year, which made it hard to meet demand.

Then the 115 Emergency Centre was established in 2013 with satellite emergency aid stations at public and private hospitals’ emergency departments.

The number of such stations has been steadily increasing, enabling provision of emergency services in all districts and Thủ Đức City.

The city now has 44 of them.

The number of calls to 115 has increased by 40 times since 2013, according to the department.

The 115 Emergency Centre and the Department of Information and Communications have installed an emergency coordination software system that optimises the call reception process, analyses emergency situations in real time and automatically dispatches ambulances to the most needy locations.

The 115 hotline offers consultation and first aid instructions over the phone.

The city health sector follows the Australian paramedic model in providing emergency care, and also follows the guidelines of the World Health Organisation, the Red Cross and the International Federation for Emergency Medicine.

Phạm Ngọc Thạch University of Medicine in collaboration with Finland’s Saimaa University of Applied Sciences provides paramedics with training in nursing.

The city plans to establish a 115 centre each in the city’s central area, Tân Kiên specialised medical cluster in Bình Chánh District and Thủ Đức City specialised medical cluster.

The city also plans to develop emergency services by air and waterway to increase connectivity with the Cửu Long (Mekong Delta), Southeast and islands.

Military Hospital 175 has successfully airlifted many soldiers and fishermen from islands for emergency treatment. —VNS