Military doctors volunteer to fight epidemic in South

Senior Lieutenant Colonel, doctor Hoang Van Ly hands over certificates to discharged people

Order from heart

Though not on an appointment list to strengthen assistance in epidemic prevention and control this time, Major Nguyen Thi Kien, a nurse of the Department of Surgery 2, still voluntarily applied for participation in a delegation to support the South with epidemic fighting.

Kien’s husband, working at the Military Command of Gia Loc district, is also assisting epidemic prevention and control, and her two children are still small. However, when knowing complicated developments of the epidemic in Southern provinces and being informed by leaders of the hospital about the establishment of the delegation to support Southern provinces, Kien still applied for participation.

Professional Lieutenant Colonel Luu Thi Nguyet Anh, an employee of the Laboratory Department of the Military Hospital 7, is luckier than many colleagues volunteering to go to the South for epidemic prevention and control because her husband, working in the police sector and also in the provincial front line of epidemic fighting, always understands the work of a doctor. Her children are grown up and can take care of themselves.

“Receiving the order to leave at 3 am, we only had two hours to prepare our luggage, so we did not have time to call our families. It is certain that there will be difficulties, harships, and pressures, but medical ethics are always in the heart of every doctor, and we encourage each other to try our best for the South,” said Nguyet Anh.

All for patients

On August 6 morning, the 47 officials, doctors, and nurses of the Military Hospital 7 and some other units set off for the South to support epidemic fighting.

Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, the delegation moved to the Field Hospital of Infectious Diseases 5D at the dormitory of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh city in Di An city, Binh Duong province.

It was very difficult for us to contact Captain, doctor Nguyen Huu Cuong from the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Military Hospital 7, now a doctor of the Department of Moderately Ill Covid-19 Patients of the Field Hospital of Infectious Diseases 5D.

Doctor Cuong said he had just processed discharge procedures for 20 people recovering from the disease.

Cuong said that on the first day of his assignment there, everything was new with a shortage of facilities. The number of patients constantly increased while software was not applied to patient management like at normal hospitals, so doctors had to manually process all information.

The Department of Moderately Ill Covid-19 Patients has formed a management group on Zalo connected with other departments of the hospital to share information about each patient, helping promptly handle situations.

At present, the department is in charge of six floors with more than 300 patients. A day is divided into six shifts, each of which lasts four hours with one doctor and two nurses on duty. Each crew is in charge of two shifts a day. Due to a large number of patients but only a small number of medical workers, the doctors and nurses in the department are always busy with work.

“During shifts, there is only work, including visiting, examining, and encouraging patients. Despite pressures and hardships, we all encourage each other to try together for people and patients,” said doctor Cuong.

After shifts, the doctors and nurses have to make medical records, complete administrative procedures, check patients, order tests, make test and discharge lists, etc.

A nurse having worked at the Military Hospital 7 for years, but Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Trong Hieu said his work at the Field Hospital of Infectious Diseases 5D was 5 – 6 times more than usual.

All doctors and nurses have to strain themselves to take advantage of every second and minute to visit all patients during their shifts.

Many patients come there confused and worried, so apart from treatment, the doctors and nurses have to stabilize their psychology.

A lot of patients initially do not cooperate, let doctors examine them, or take medicine, some even make a fuss. At that time, the doctors and nurses have to patiently talk to and encourage them so that they will overcome their fear and loneliness.

“If patients are psychologically good and think positively, treatment will be convenient and effective. However, there have been losses. Whenever seeing a patient die, we can only silently look at each other through face shields,” said nurse Hieu.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel, doctor Hoang Van Ly, Deputy Director of the Military Hospital 7, now Deputy Director of the Field Hospital of Infectious Diseases 5D, said the hospital was treating more than 1,000 mildly, moderately, and seriously ill Covid-19 patients.

There are more than 200 officials, doctors, and nurses at the hospital. Among them, the 47 doctors and nurses of the Military Hospital 7 are present in all departments. Currently, the medical delegation from the Military Hospital 7 is still in good health after 20 days of supporting Binh Duong province.

By August 25, 596 patients at the hospital had been cured and discharged.

Reportedly, 22 doctors and nurses of the Military Hospital 7 have also voluntarily applied for participation and are ready to go when required.

TRUONG HA