Doctors continue to combat Covid-19 at Da Nang hotspot

SGGP 07/08/2020 07:58

Da Nang City in response to the newest wave of Covid-19 blocked off three major hospitals in the central area, where healthcare professionals across Vietnam have joined forces to curb the virus once again.

Doctors at Da Nang Hospital showed their determination to curb Covid-19

Life in isolation

The three hospitals in question are Da Nang Hospital, Hospital C and the Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital. Da Nang police also set up barricades along two main routes leading to Hospital C and Da Nang Hospital, the latter being a Covid-19 hotspot. All persons entering these areas including journalists must be equipped with protective clothing.

Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, a female pharmacist employed at Da Nang Hospital had to leave her 13-month-old daughter home to work in the isolated institution.

“My colleagues and I no longer pay attention to the numbers of casualties, only on treating whoever comes through the doors. We have been sleeping on the floor whenever time allows. Despite all hardship we believe that this new outbreak too can be suppressed”, Trang said.

Healthcare professionals basically live 24/7 in the locked down hospitals and have their sleep-wake cycle turned upside down, said Dr. Dang Van Tri in his online journal about the outbreak. The doctors have to treat patients and also cook for them.

“We must learn how to ration food, preserve inventory and work out diets for patients with special medical conditions. There are so much to take into account - from careful seasoning to cooking with limited supplies and delivering meals to the patients on time. It’s a challenge to get used to cooking, especially for those who only worked with drugs and medical equipment their whole life”, he expressed.

Volunteers to Da Nang

There has been a 400% increase in the number of patients since the beginning of the second wave, with many undergoing serious illnesses. Many facilities in the city have been doing their best to help with the spillover from the blocked off hospitals.

Hospital 199 under the Ministry of Public Security is one such institution. Since they received a large number of patients, personnel from Hospital 19-8 (August 19) in Hanoi volunteered to travel to Da Nang. Their healthcare professionals work around the clock to assist with surgeries, traumatic injuries, general anesthesia as well as pandemic intervention.