Doctor appointment at Medlatec Hospital
At Medlatec Hospital, there are still no measures to separate regular patients and suspected SARS-CoV-2 visitors. The patients still use the same chairs and thermometers.
On March 10, the inspection team of the Administration of Medical Examination and Treatment checked various private hospitals in Hanoi. Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the team, said, "Screening and quarantining suspected patients are very important especially when the outbreak development is still complicated."
Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said, "The 17th patient in Vietnam tested positive for Covid-19 and went to Hong Ngoc Hospital, this is a lesson. The hospital's doctors detected the illness but they had to follow many procedures in order to quarantine 17 employees who had close contact with the patient."
Provincial and city authorities were asked to closely monitor the situation and asked medical facilities to check and separate patients with symptoms like breathing difficulties or coughing as they arrive at the hospitals. Patients will be given a medical form and those with symptoms will be sent to another waiting room. Private clinics must take the suspected patients' addresses and report to the local authorities.
Nguyen Trong Khoa, deputy head of the Administration of Medical Examination and Treatment criticised irresponsible people attempting to avoid quarantine. "Those who avoid quarantine lack responsibility towards their own health, their family's and the wider community. They potentially risk and uncontrollable outbreak," he said.