If a pandemic occurs with a strain of flu that spreads from person to person, Vietnam could see about 10% of its population infected, which translates to nearly 8.2 million people. If only 5% of these individuals require hospitalization, the number of patients could reach 410,000, while the current hospital bed capacity meets only a quarter of that need, according to Mr. Ly Ngoc Kinh, Director of the Department of Treatment under the Ministry of Health.
According to Mr. Kinh, the situation could become even more serious as type A influenza has significantly more severe clinical symptoms than SARS, including complications like severe pneumonia and multiple organ failure. Additionally, the intensive care system in infectious disease wards has uneven expertise, with facilities and infrastructure lacking in various aspects, from isolation treatment equipment to ambulances and oxygen ventilators. Global experts assess that under current conditions, the mortality rate for patients with avian flu is very high, especially when the healthcare system cannot cope or is overwhelmed.
In Hanoi, the Ministry of Health has designated several hospitals specifically for treating avian flu, including the Institute of Tropical Diseases and Central Pediatrics Hospital at the central level, along with Dong Da Hospital, Bach Mai Hospital, North Thang Long Hospital, and De Giang General Hospital.
The Institute of Tropical Diseases stated that predicting the number of patients is not feasible, so the initial plan is to keep all suspected flu cases at Bach Mai Hospital, and those who test positive will then be transferred to the Institute for treatment.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Tuong Van, deputy head of the Emergency Department, noted that the Institute is awaiting budget allocation according to the action plan, but there is still a regular epidemic response fund, with supplies of antibiotics, IV fluids, and Tamiflu sufficient for patients and their high-risk family members. The Institute also has 12 old ventilators from the SARS outbreak and previous flu epidemics. Monitoring equipment and syringes are adequate for small-scale outbreaks; however, for larger outbreaks, there would be a significant shortfall. The isolation area has been completed since the beginning of the year and has been renovated to be proactive in case of patient admission. The Institute has prepared 30 beds for flu patients, including 15 beds on the second floor for severe cases, while the remaining beds on the fourth floor are for milder cases or those in recovery. Among these, 3 beds are kept vacant with the best oxygen emergency system, ready to receive patients. If a pandemic occurs and these beds are insufficient, the Institute will relocate other patients to lower-tier facilities to reserve all 120 beds for flu infections.
Dr. Van also mentioned that if a pandemic happens, the challenge will not be manpower as the Institute can mobilize enough nurses and doctors from Bach Mai Medical College and recent graduates. The main challenge lies in equipment such as ventilators, monitoring devices, and oxygen systems, which are expensive and thus limited in availability. The Institute’s leadership hopes the action plan is finalized quickly because if a pandemic breaks out, a rapid increase in patients will pose significant challenges.
The Central Pediatrics Hospital is also urgently preparing to respond to the flu. Dr. Nguyen Van Loc, the deputy director, stated that the Infectious Disease Department has arranged 30 beds and can mobilize up to 50 beds. In terms of personnel, the hospital will utilize all infectious disease doctors and can deploy additional staff if necessary. They have a stock of Tamiflu available. However, currently, the hospital has only 2 ventilators for flu patients, while the expected number is 10. If all hospital resources are pooled, they could reach 40 ventilators, but these would also need to serve other patients. Equipment and protective gear are still lacking, and the hospital is continuing to procure supplies.
Meanwhile, Dong Da Hospital has established 3 treatment teams, each consisting of 5 specialized treatment and emergency doctors, 10 nurses, and 1 nursing assistant; with 2 teams actively involved in epidemic response. The hospital has planned for disease classification; if the outbreak is classified as level 1 (fewer than 10 patients) or level 2 (fewer than 50 patients), they will be examined in the respiratory department and then placed in the infectious disease isolation ward. Level 3 outbreaks (between 50 to 200 patients) will see severe cases receiving initial emergency treatment in the respiratory department before being transferred to the infectious disease unit.
North Thang Long Hospital is also preparing 30 beds for flu patients, and if the outbreak intensifies, all beds will be mobilized. Patient rooms are categorized by color: red for emergency patients, yellow for suspected cases, and green for stabilized treatment areas. De Giang General Hospital has sufficient personnel, medication, and chemicals for flu outbreaks. The Internal Medicine Department 3 currently has 19 beds available, which could be expanded to approximately 150 beds in case of a larger outbreak.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Health has assigned 4 hospitals: Infectious Disease Hospital, Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital, Children’s Hospital No. 1, and Children’s Hospital No. 2 to establish isolation treatment rooms with 200 beds ready to receive patients for treatment. Local health stations, schools, and workplaces have also set up temporary internal isolation areas for on-site quarantine in case of an infection.
In the provinces, if a small-scale outbreak occurs, patients will be transferred to 7 central hospitals. If the outbreak is slightly larger, patients will be sent to provincial general hospitals. In the case of a major pandemic outbreak, patients will be isolated and treated on-site.
Thanh Nhan
