(VOVworld) – The Ministry of Health has reviewed one year of implementing a project on sea and islands healthcare development until 2020. A conference on Wednesday concluded that the project plays an important role in Vietnam’s strategy to develop its marine economy and ensure marine border security.

Treating carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning at the Vietnam National Institute of Marine Medicine (photo: vinimam.org.vn)

Vietnam has 3,260 km of coastline and thousands of islands. In order to fully exploit its sea advantages, the 4^th plenum of the 10^th Party Central Committee approved Vietnam’s marine strategy until 2020. The strategy aims to make the sea Vietnam’s strength with its marine economy contributing 53% to 55% of GDP by 2020. The Vietnamese government considers an investment in improving the health of its marine labor force a top priority in its national marine strategy. 

Building an effective healthcare system in the sea and islands

The project on sea and islands healthcare development until 2020 has been implemented in 151 districts in 28 coastal cities and provinces. The 400 million USD project will improve access to healthcare services for people living and working in the sea and islands, including health check-ups and emergency treatment. The project will improve the healthcare infrastructure and personnel to meet the healthcare needs of coastal people and islanders, including emergency treatment, epidemic prevention and control, and treatment of typical marine diseases.

The project will also instruct coastal people and islanders how to protect their health, perform first-aid, and transport victims to the nearest clinics, and will inform them about international health regulations related to activities on the sea.
Pham Khac Tuan, Director of Do Luong General Hospital in Hai Phong city, said: “The project on sea and islands healthcare development until 2020 serves social security and national sea and islands sovereignty. Coastal hospitals and hospitals on islands will receive funding to upgrade their infrastructure and improve their medical staff.”

Since 1991 Vietnam has applied a medical model of civilian and military cooperation. Now, Vietnam will focus on developing marine medicine and a marine health network. The Ministry of National Defense is actively involved in the national marine strategy to protect national sea and island sovereignty and people’s health.

There are 9 military hospitals and 3 clinics on Con Dao, Phu Quoc, and Ly Son island, 138 civilian-military health centers, 83 infirmaries, and 835 clinics nationwide.   

Initial results of the sea and island medical network

Last year, hospitals and clinics treated 1,600 emergency cases, offered health checks and medicines to 32,000 people, performed 750 surgeries, and transported 7 critical patients from islands to the mainland by helicopter.
Major-general Vu Quoc Binh, Head of the Military Medical Department of the Defense Ministry, said: “Healthcare units of the Defense Ministry have obtained good results during the project’s implementation. In cooperation with the Health Ministry, we will continue to strengthen the sea and island healthcare network to offer people the best possible services.”

The development of marine medicine and a sea and island healthcare network has an importance in Vietnam’s national marine development strategy and sea border defense. This year, the Health Ministry will continue to promote its central role in organizing and instructing localities to build project components appropriate to the sea and islands environment.