Five national COVID-19 ICUs to be established

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the Health Ministry's Department for Medical Examination and Treatment (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – Five national COVID-19 intensive care units (ICUs) will be set up in hospitals in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the central province of Thua Thien-Hue under a project discussed at a meeting in Hanoi on July 21.

Of the centres, one is based at the Bach Mai Hospital and another at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, both in Hanoi; one at the General Hospital in Hue city; and two others at the Cho Ray Hospital and the HCM City Oncology Hospital. Each accommodates from 500-1,000 beds.

Meanwhile, nearly 30 hospitals have also been assigned to establish ICUs for regions, each with 50-100 beds.

The project aims to enhance emergency and intensive care capacity for hospitals to treat critical COVID-19 cases.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the Health Ministry's Department for Medical Examination and Treatment, said at the meeting that the project has been drawn up given the need for hospitals and localities to improve their emergency and intensive care capacity to treat not only COVID-19 patients but also those with non-communicable diseases.

The same day, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long sent a document to Chairpersons of centrally-run cities and provinces, asking for their coordination in establishing facilities that will admit COVID-19 patients showing mild or no symptoms.

Accordingly, the facilities will be based at dormitories, schools and stadiums, with essential medical equipment and drugs.

The localities were asked to mobilise all district-level hospitals, specialised, general and private hospitals, and those of ministries, agencies and universities in the treatment of more serious cases.

The same day, the Military Command of southern Binh Duong province, said it has put into operation a temporary hospital for infectious diseases in Phu Loi ward, Thu Dau Mot city.

With staff of 150 doctors and medical workers, the 500-bed hospital is now ready to admit COVID-19 patients.