HCM CITY — The Department of Health in HCM City has instructed all hospitals in the city not to refuse emergency aid to patients during the Tết (Lunar New Year) period.

The department has told doctors and other health staff to prepare medicine, materials and equipment to deal with any outbreak during the holiday.

Hospitals at the grassroots level, which do not have capacity to treat severely ill patients, should provide first aid and then transfer patients to appropriate hospitals.

Medical facilities have also been told to prepare for cases of acute pneumonia or stroke among seniors and respiratory ailments and disease among children.

City officials and all medical staff should provide thoughtful care to their inpatients during the Tết holiday, the department urged.

Tăng Chí Thượng, the department’s deputy head, said the city’s Emergency Aid Centre and its 22 satellite stations throughout the city as well as outlying districts were prepared for Tết.

Hospitals such as the Paediatrics Hospital 1 and 2, Oncology Hospital and others have opened satellite health clinics at many other hospitals in the city to reduce patient overcrowding.

In response to the requirement, Dr Nguyễn Thanh Hùng, director of Paediatrics Hospital 1, said that a sufficient number of doctors and other health staff were ready for emergency aid before, during and after the holiday period.

At least 200 doctors, nurses and other health staff will be working each shift at the hospital, Hùng told Việt Nam News Agency.

The Paediatrics Hospital 1 admits 1,000 inpatients and 700 to 1,000 outpatients every day.

Dr Nguyễn Trường Sơn, director of Chợ Rẫy Hospital, said the hospital has completed preparations for the holiday and made a plan to deal with patient overcrowding.

Every hospital department has drawn up plans for “red alert” emergency aid and “gold intervention”, which calls for urgent surgery. It has also ensured that emergency surgery can be performed within a proper amount of time.

The hospital’s Blood Transfusion Centre has stored 7,000 units of blood for emergency treatment and will provide blood to other hospitals in the southeastern region.

The HCM City Hospital of Hematology and Blood Transfusion has stored 12,000 units of blood for use at all city hospitals during Tết.

Trần Thị Tố Như, head of the city’s Humanitarian Blood Donation Centre, said the centre has a sufficient amount of blood stored for the holiday, and there will be no shortages of rare types of blood.

Huỳnh Văn Hiếu, head of the HCM City Red Journey Club, which encourages blood donations, said that its 50 members and volunteers would be available to donate blood during the holiday, if needed. — VNS