Sài Gòn-Hà Nội Eyes Hospital located on Nguyễn Du Street has been suspended from operation for not complying with COVID-19 prevention and control protocols. — Photo soha.vn

HÀ NỘI — Three hospitals in Hà Nội and one in northern Bắc Ninh Province that failed to comply with COVID-19 prevention and control protocols have had their operations suspended, according to the Ministry of Health.

The Ministry of Health mobilised inspection teams to assess the safety level of hospitals' COVID-19 prevention measures.

According to results, the General Hospital of Bắc Ninh Province is safe. The General Hospital of Hà Nam Province, Hà Nội Nephrology Hospital and Hà Nội Lung Hospital only ensured safety at a low level.

The Hồng Phúc General Hospital in Bắc Ninh Province and three hospitals in Hà Nội , namely Sài Gòn-Hà Nội Eyes Hospital located on Nguyễn Du Street, Việt Nam-Japan Eyes Hospital on Triệu Việt Vương Street and Hitec Eyes Hospital on Hàm Long Street, are unsafe.

Those unsafe hospitals have been temporarily barred from receiving patients.

The Hà Nội Health Department has conducted inspections at 46 out of 80 hospitals in the capital city as of August 21. Among those, 34 hospitals ensure safe anti-COVID-19 measures. Nine others maintained safety at low levels and three are unsafe.

The unsafe hospitals or hospitals classified to have low levels of safety did not comply with the steering committee’s instructions in patient screening and reception. The safe distance between beds was also not ensured.

The Treatment Unit of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control asked directing boards of those hospitals to review responsibilities.

Heads of the medical examination and infection control departments, and nurses at intensive care units of those hospitals must be criticised for failing to follow the safety regulations, it said.

The directing boards of the hospitals must consider suspending department heads.

The Treatment Unit asked local health departments to step up hospital inspections to closely monitor COVID-19 prevention and control work and fully report to the steering committee.

According to the Ministry of Health, inspection reports from some localities showed that most of the hospitals are safe or have low safety levels.

The ministry praised Hà Nội for taking prompt action against unsafe hospitals and urged other localities to follow the capital city’s actions. Local health departments will conduct the inspections again at unsafe hospitals to check if safety measures have improved.

At the online briefing session with central-level hospitals and health departments of the provinces and cities on Thursday, Acting Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long noted that all hospitals are exposed to the risk of COVID-19 infection. Attention to safety needs must also be paid at healthcare facilities unlikely to have infection risks like obstetrics and paediatrics hospitals.

"Medical facilities failing to comply with anti-pandemic measures must be suspended from operation. If violations continue, the hospitals directors will hold responsibilities for that no matter the hospitals are State-owned or private,” he said. — VNS