Ready to give first aid to people with heatstroke, heat shock, and stroke

Recently, the weather in many regions across the country has been hot and sunny, affecting people's lives and working environment.

In the Northern and Central regions, the peak heat wave with the highest temperature commonly ranging from 36-39 degrees Celsius, in some places over 40 degrees Celsius, is greatly affecting people's health. This is the longest widespread heat wave since the beginning of the year in the Northern and Central regions.

To prevent heatstroke for patients and medical staff, in a document sent to directors of hospitals under the Ministry of Health and universities, directors of provincial and municipal health departments on May 21, the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment (Ministry of Health) requested medical facilities to retrain first aid skills for people with heatstroke, heat shock and especially stroke; and be ready to promptly provide first aid to patients.

The Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management requests heads of units to urgently implement and direct affiliated units to prepare medicines, equipment, and emergency vehicles at hospitals and outpatient clinics; retrain emergency skills for people with heatstroke, heat shock, and especially stroke; be ready to provide timely emergency care to patients; coordinate with media units, preventive medicine centers... in the area to propagate and mobilize people to proactively prevent and combat heatstroke and sudden changes in environmental temperature.

The Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management requires units to accurately re-evaluate criterion A1.2 "Patients and their relatives are allowed to wait in a room with full amenities and are transported appropriately to their medical condition" in the Vietnam Hospital Quality Criteria 2.0 to supplement and immediately repair infrastructure if it has not been built or is degraded; urgently install canopies for walkways between buildings and in outdoor areas where there are many patients' relatives.

Medical facilities should review the ventilation status in areas with many patients such as waiting rooms, corridors, etc., and treatment departments, patient rooms, administrative rooms, etc.; make plans to add fans and air conditioners to necessary areas; mobilize funding sources to purchase ceiling fans, ventilation fans, steam fans or air conditioners within the hospital's resources.

The Department of Medical Examination and Treatment also requires ensuring the provision of free drinking water for patients and their relatives in clinical departments and waiting rooms; adding water dispensers in locations that are lacking or in high demand on hot days as required in criterion A2.4: "Patients enjoy amenities that ensure health, improve physical and mental health"; maintaining a green, clean and beautiful hospital according to the instructions in criterion A3.1: "Patients are treated in a green, clean and beautiful environment and landscape" and adding trees if necessary.

For hospitals with limited resources or difficulties in bidding, assign hospital leaders, department leaders and social work teams to mobilize social resources, philanthropists, businesses... to join hands and share difficulties with the hospital; invest and sponsor fans, air conditioners, water dispensers... to serve and improve the satisfaction of patients and medical staff.

CHUNG VIET

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