"Vietnam can confidently declare the end of the Covid epidemic"

On the morning of May 29, continuing the 5th session, the National Assembly held a plenary session at the Hall to discuss the mobilization, management and use of resources for the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic; the implementation of policies and laws on grassroots health care and preventive medicine.

Speaking at the meeting hall, National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Lan Hieu - Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital (Binh Dinh National Assembly Delegation) said that since mid-2022, he has spoken at the National Assembly forum about considering declaring the end of the Covid-19 epidemic; The Prime Minister has also directed the Ministry of Health to prepare documents to transfer Covid-19 from group A infectious disease to group B and declare the end of the epidemic.

From practical experience, through many waves of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, the Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital affirmed: "Vietnam can confidently declare the end of the Covid-19 pandemic because all conditions are met."

Delegate Nguyen Lan Hieu pointed out three key reasons: First, the rate of severe illness is almost gone, most of the deaths are due to serious underlying diseases that are positive for Covid-19. That shows that Covid-19 infection in the community is no longer dangerous, causing high mortality.

Second, Vietnam has a very wide vaccination coverage rate, we have had 266 million doses of vaccine. People over 12 years old have been fully vaccinated with 2 basic doses; the 4th dose has been given to people over 18 years old who are at high risk. Thus, we have had great success in vaccination.

Third, the Covid-19 epidemic situation in the world has stabilized. In early May 2023, WHO declared that the Covid-19 epidemic is no longer a global emergency.

National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Lan Hieu stated 3 key reasons why Vietnam can confidently declare the end of the Covid-19 epidemic.

“These are the three basic conditions for Vietnam to move Covid-19 from group A infectious disease to group B infectious disease. When Covid-19 is no longer a group A infectious disease, it should be considered a specialized disease like other specialized diseases. Payment is the same as for other specialized diseases such as health insurance payment or self-payment by patients,” said National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Lan Hieu.

Mr. Nguyen Lan Hieu also said that after 3 years of fighting the epidemic, we need to learn from past successes and mistakes. We cannot help but see the efforts of all social classes working together to fight the epidemic.

There are things that seem impossible but we have completed in a very short time, very well such as: Establishing a vaccine fund, widespread vaccination, establishing hospitals to treat Covid-19.

Therefore, it is necessary to prepare facilities, legal documents, and necessary guidance procedures to better respond to other epidemics and the possibility of Covid-19 returning.

In addition, the delegate working in the health sector expressed his agreement with the proposal of the National Assembly's Supervisory Delegation that the Ministry of Health should soon issue documents guiding the use of medical supplies and equipment that have been prepared to combat the pandemic and shift to regular medical examination and treatment. The Ministry should delegate the decision on their use to local hospitals to avoid waste.

Regarding primary health care and preventive medicine, Mr. Nguyen Lan Hieu said that the task of developing primary health care and preventive medicine is the biggest challenge in the current period. According to the delegate, increasing salaries, building beautiful facilities, and buying machinery cannot solve the root of the problem. Because salaries cannot increase forever; spacious facilities without patients; modern machinery that no one knows how to use are very wasteful.

Scene of the morning meeting on May 29.

Delegate Nguyen Lan Hieu said that the commune health station has two preventive tasks such as vaccination, disease prevention, education, propaganda and treatment, patient health care, management of chronic diseases, first aid and emergency care in the community.

Asking the question of how to prevent a system that has been built for many generations from shrinking, Mr. Nguyen Lan Hieu stated that it is necessary to test a new model, considering commune and ward health stations as clinics of the district health center. Human standards are the same for both patients and medical staff.

Doctors from district and county health centers will have regular outpatient examinations in communes and wards. Especially for chronic non-communicable diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; there will also be examinations on obstetrics and pediatrics to advise patients on the right place to go for examination and treatment...

At the same time, give more authority and responsibility to the health station chiefs to encourage them to develop their strengths. Once the operation is running smoothly, the next step is to coordinate between provincial hospitals and district health centers.

Also according to delegate Nguyen Lan Hieu, digitalizing the healthcare sector including health management and remote medical examination and treatment will be the key to success for the primary healthcare system .

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/dbqh-nguyen-lan-hieu-viet-nam-co-the-yen-tam-cong-bo-het-dich-covid-a610063.html