Directive No. 01/2006/CT-BYT on medical services during the 2006 Bính Tuất Lunar New Year holiday

DIRECTIVE

On medical services during the 2006 Lunar New Year (Bing Tuat)

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To implement the urgent Circular No. 28/TTg-KHTH dated January 6, 2006 of the Government Prime Minister on welcoming the 2006 Lunar New Year (Bing Tuat), to ensure a joyful, safe, and frugal spring festival, contributing to effectively implementing health care and improvement work for the people during the Tet holiday, the Minister of Health instructs leaders of Departments, Bureaus, Office, Inspectorate of the Ministry, Heads of units under the Ministry, Directors of Health Services of provinces and centrally governed cities, and health sectors within their scope of responsibility and authority to organize and implement the following matters thoroughly:

1. Organize the Tet holiday joyfully, safely, healthily, and thriftily. Strictly prohibit the misuse of festivals to organize banquets and wasteful eating; using state funds to reward, give gifts, or provide individuals and organizations not in accordance with state regulations. Do not use official cars for personal use during the Tet holiday.

2. Take the initiative in disease prevention and control work, especially avian influenza A-H5N1 and other dangerous infectious diseases, specifically:

a) Strengthen environmental hygiene inspections, control old epidemic foci; inspect public places such as bus stations, train stations, and boat docks which are often polluted due to large gatherings of people that can easily lead to outbreaks. Maintain the operation of the Avian Influenza A-H5N1 Prevention and Control Steering Committee during the Tet holiday. Direct the division of treatment lines at all infectious disease departments of general hospitals in 64 provinces and centrally governed cities and three treatment centers to prevent cases of disease outbreaks.

b) Continue to intensify information dissemination, education, and communication activities so that the people can enjoy the Tet holiday while not forgetting to prevent avian influenza A-H5N1. Coordinate with the agriculture and rural development sector and related sectors to strengthen environmental sanitation, avian influenza, and human avian influenza A-H5N1 prevention and control activities before, during, and after the Tet holiday.

c) Strengthen the disease surveillance system by arranging personnel on duty regularly to detect early, isolate, and treat suspected cases promptly. If there is an outbreak, immediately report to higher-level health authorities and the Ministry of Health (Vietnam Preventive Medicine Department), and simultaneously take immediate measures to contain and extinguish the outbreak, preventing its spread.

3. Strengthen inspection and handling of violations concerning food safety, particularly at markets and food service locations for the Tet holiday; food production and processing establishments; combat counterfeit goods and substandard food products. Closely coordinate with relevant agencies to strictly monitor food safety implementation at local levels to minimize food poisoning incidents during the Tet holiday.

4. Organize medical examinations and treatments well during the Tet holiday:

a) Medical facilities must arrange 24/24-hour shifts to ensure sufficient capacity to handle emergency cases, traffic accidents, childbirth during the Tet holiday, and must not refuse or delay any emergency case. For patients admitted out-of-network or out-of-specialty, initial emergency treatment must be provided, and they may only be transferred to other medical facilities after the patient and family have been fully informed. Organize timely transportation of patients to higher-level facilities when necessary.

b) Enhance a sense of responsibility and service awareness towards patients, paying particular attention to courteous and harmonious communication and behavior, and strictly adhering to professional technical regulations.

c) Ensure adequate stock of emergency medications to handle common emergencies, prepare for traffic accident and disaster emergencies.

d) Provide comprehensive care and service for all patients remaining for treatment at hospitals or those admitted for emergency care during the Tet holiday, both materially and spiritually. Particularly, organize visits and gift-giving for policy beneficiaries and poor patients. The Treatment Department is responsible for planning and organizing inspections of hospitals during the Tet holiday together with the Ministry's leadership.

5. Hospitals and central and local pharmaceutical companies must prepare sufficient medicines for treatment at reasonable prices and guaranteed quality, ensuring no shortage of medicines. Strictly prohibit the sale of fake, substandard, expired, and suddenly price-increased medicines at state and private pharmacies during the Tet holiday. Be ready to supply medicines in case of mass emergencies or disease outbreaks, especially if human avian influenza A-H5N1 occurs. Announce the names and addresses of pharmacies operating around the clock during the Tet holiday for public knowledge.

6. Coordinate with local security forces to ensure absolute safety for units during the Tet holiday. Carefully check fire prevention and explosion protection systems, electrical systems, oil storage areas; seal and cut off power switches of warehouses and offices before leaving for the holiday. Units organize four levels of duty: leadership duty, professional duty, logistics duty, and security and self-defense duty; publicly post daily duty rosters for unit leaders to inspect and urge when necessary.

7. Units must quickly return to normal operations immediately after the Tet holiday. Provincial Health Services of centrally governed cities must compile and report statistics to the Ministry during the Tet holiday. Central and local hospitals, preventive health centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City must gather data on medical examinations and emergency treatments, disease outbreaks, and food safety during the Tet holiday, and report to the Ministry of Health before 10 AM on February 3, 2006 (the sixth day of the lunar new year). Reports should be sent to the Treatment Department, Vietnam Preventive Medicine Department, and Food Safety and Hygiene Department.

The Treatment Department, Preventive Medicine Department, Food Safety and Hygiene Department, and the Ministry's Office need to develop specific and detailed plans to implement this Directive effectively, and collect sufficient information and data, summarize, and report to the Ministry's leadership as required by the government.

Upon receipt of this Directive, it is requested that the leaders of the Departments, Bureaus, Office, Inspectorate of the Ministry, Heads of subordinate units under the Ministry, Directors of Health Services of provinces and centrally governed cities, and health departments of ministries and sectors take responsibility for organizing and implementing this Directive effectively./.