A ceremony held by the HCM City Department of Health on August 27 to launch the first rotation of doctors to work at the Côn Đảo Special Zone Military-Civilian Medical Centre. —VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Seven young doctors from six leading hospitals in HCM City will work for one month at the Côn Đảo Military-Civilian Medical Centre in Côn Đảo island, including one female doctor, starting from September 3.

These highly skilled doctors with specialities such as pediatrics, obstetrics, surgery, emergency resuscitation, and kidney dialysis from six hospitals, including Bình Dân Hospital, Nhân Dân Gia Định Hospital, Hùng Vương Hospital, Children Hospital 1, Orthopedic and Trauma Hospital, Nguyễn Tri Phương Hospital, will participate in the rotation programme to the still rather underdeveloped Côn Đảo Special Zone.

Speaking at a ceremony to launch the first rotation of specialists to work at the Côn Đảo Special Zone Military-Civilian Medical Centre on Wednesday, Assoc Prof Tăng Chí Thượng, director of Department of Health said that the rotation of doctors to Côn Đảo Island is part of efforts to enhance medical capacity on the southern islands after the merger of HCM City and the provinces of Bình Dương and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu.

It demonstrates the health sector’s commitment to not leaving anyone behind, Thượng said.

The health sector will deploy kidney dialysis machines so that locals can have kidney dialysis right on the island, he said.

A mobile blood bank will be set up at the Côn Đảo Military-Civilian Medical Centre by Hùng Vương Hospital to ensure emergency care and surgery, he said.

He advised young doctors not only to offer medical examinations but also accompany their colleagues, support training, share knowledge and spread the value of medical ethics.

Dr Trần Thị Mai Liên, 30, from the Emergency Department of Children Hospital 1, is the only female doctor in the first rotation.

“We will offer examinations and share expertise with colleagues in the Côn Đảo Special Zone,” she said.

Dr Hoàng Quốc Anh from the Orthopedic Trauma Hospital, said that primary health care is not only the front line in community health care but also reinforces the trust of patients in the health system.

The presence of specialists will help improve the quality of healthcare on the island so that locals will not have to travel to the mainland to seek medical care, he said.

The department outlined a two-phase plan to improve the medical capacity and foster specialised healthcare in the Côn Đảo Special Zone.

In the first phase, skilled doctors will be rotated to work at Côn Đảo while remote consultations and online continuous education for medical staff at the island will also be implemented.

In the second phase, a general hospital will be built on the island with the professional support of major hospitals in the city. —VNS