Medtronic supports Vietnam's frontline healthcare workers in the COVID-19 battle

Medtronic supports Vietnam's frontline healthcare workers in the COVID-19 battle

With the funding from the company as well as voluntary contributions from its employees, Medtronic has donated almost 4,000 sets of personal protection equipment (PPE) to Cho Ray and Thong Nhat hospitals to protect frontline healthcare professionals who are working tirelessly to offer care and treatment to COVID-19 patients.

Medtronic’s efforts go beyond the PPE donation. In July, the medtech company donated 5,000 rapid test kits to the Ho Chi Minh City Fatherland Front for COVID-19 testing and tracing. To assist frontline hospitals in the treatment of patients, Medtronic also sent 10 oxygen saturation measurement devices to Trung Vuong Hospital and the Hospital for Tropical Disease through the American Chamber of Commerce Vietnam.

Providing training and education on the correct use of ventilators to frontline doctors managing ventilated COVID-19 patients is essential. Medtronic has been supporting this effort by organising virtual webinar series led by ICU experts on mechanical ventilators that are critical in the fight against COVID-19. The series has attracted almost 10,000 frontline doctors nationwide to participate, learn, and share experiences and best practices.

The company has also hosted dozens of virtual physician forums and medical education programmes to help physicians of various specialties navigate the challenges of COVID-19. Further, Medtronic’s Ventilator Academy provides on-demand training on the fundamentals of mechanical ventilation. Since the launch of this platform a year ago, over 20,000 clinicians globally have benefited from this online curriculum.

Medtronic products to treat patients with severe respiratory illness include ventilators, respiratory filters, and pulse oximeters and sensors. In an open-license initiative, Medtronic released its Puritan Bennett™ 560 ventilator design publicly, providing manufacturers around the world the ability to rapidly accelerate ventilator production. The design specifications for the ventilator have been downloaded over 225,000 times.

Medtronic donated 5,000 rapid test kits to the Ho Chi Minh City Fatherland Front

“As a global healthcare leader, Medtronic is committed to supporting hospitals, healthcare workers, and patients in Vietnam and around the world,” said Paul Verhulst, managing director at Medtronic Indochina. “We live by our Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. This guides our daily work, and we are determined to do everything we can to care for our employees, their families, and the communities in Vietnam as we address this global health crisis together.”

Beside these relief efforts, Medtronic Indochina is committed to protecting the health and safety of its employees in Vietnam. The company, which has been in Vietnam for more than ten years, provides support to employees by providing care packages to employees to keep them safe.

In addition, Medtronic also conducts regular virtual sessions such as coffee chats with the leadership team, health talks, exercises, and art and cooking classes to help keep them engaged. The company has made efforts to ensure regular communications and updates to teams. Meanwhile, it remains in contact with local health authorities to stay up to date for the most current health information.

Medtronic Plc., headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world’s largest medical technology, services and solutions companies – alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 90,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in more than 150 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together.

Medtronic sent 4,000 sets of personal protection equipment to frontline healthcare professionals