Within just a month since opening of the satellite hospital of Children Hospital No.2 in District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City, there is already an overload of patients, said Dr. Tran Van Khanh, director of the satellite hospital on June 12.
The city is striving to reduce overloading in hospitals by 75 per cent, as discussed in a meeting on April 8 that was organized by the City People’s Council and HCMC Television.
As there were a few hiccups in the construction of satellite hospitals at the four gateways leading to the city, representatives from the Trauma and Orthopedic, Tu Du Obstetrics, Children and Tumor Hospitals proposed using district hospitals as satellite hospitals while waiting for completion of the above four hospitals.
The children’s ward of the satellite hospital in District 2 has 50 beds, examines an average of 80 child outpatients, vaccinates more than 30 toddlers and receives around 20 inpatients a day, which has helped in reducing transfer rates to 70 per cent.
Meanwhile it had before examined around 10 patients daily who wanted transfer to the Children Hospital in District 10.
The conditions here are same as in other satellite hospitals like the Tumor Hospital and Children Hospital No.1.
According to the Department of Health plan to reduce overloading in central hospitals, most district hospitals will receive skill assistance and medical equipment from bigger hospitals, to not only reduce pressure in central hospitals but to also improve healthcare in suburban districts.
The Department of Health said it pushed for the construction of satellite hospitals at the four gateways leading to the city but major hiccups occurred such as compensation for land clearance and resettlement of residents.
However, it is hoped that construction will begin by the end of this year.
