Medical doctors involve in COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control (photo: VOV)

Ho Chi Minh City has a large healthcare network of public and private hospitals, which makes it a medical hub of the southern region. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, local medical workers played a crucial role.

Le Tan Duc, head of the clinic in Long Thoi commune, Nha Be district, said: “Every day 2 or 3 medical workers go out to conduct COVID-19 tests. Then they track the infections in the community and zone off the outbreak. The staff work from morning to evening, often without a break. Then they input data into the management system and provide patient support on Zalo.”

Regulations require that every clinic has 5 to 10 medical workers. Ho Chi Minh City has asked the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Affairs to allow each clinic to have at least 10 medical workers per 20,000 people and an additional medical worker for each additional 2,000 to 3,000 people.

Lam Hung Tan, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Home Affairs, says: “Ho Chi Minh City will maintain the mobile clinic model. We have proposed incentives to get doctors from the higher level to work at local clinics and mobilize human resources from the community to engage in community medical work. The Departments of Home Affairs and Health will work out the implementation.”

Ho Chi Minh City has also invested more on equipment, as well as human resources and facilities for local health centers. The city's health sector plans to invest 470 million USD in 79 projects to build or renovate medical facilities. Each year each medical center is given money to repair one clinic. This year Ho Chi Minh City plans to repair and upgrade 6 medical stations.