Directive No. 01/2007/CT-BYT on Strengthening Health Work During the Tet Holiday in the Year of the Pig 2007

DIRECTIVE

On Strengthening Health Work During the Tet Holiday in 2007 Year of the Pig

___________________________

Implementing Directive No. 01/2007/CT-TTg dated January 9, 2007 of the Government Prime Minister on organizing the Tet holiday in 2007, to ensure good service for people's health care during the Tet holiday, the Minister of Health requests the leaders of the Departments, Bureaus, Office, Inspectorate of the Ministry, Directors of Provincial Health Services under central cities, Heads of units directly under the Ministry (hereinafter referred to collectively as units), and health sectors to implement strictly according to their scope of responsibility and authority the following matters:

1. Organize a joyful, safe, healthy, and frugal Tet holiday at the unit's office and workplace; do not organize visits to wish Tet greetings. Strictly prohibit using state funds, collective assets, or funds from the budget, public treasury, or other sources of financial support to organize banquets, receptions, or rewards, gifts, donations, and presents that do not comply with the regulations set by the State. Units must strictly adhere to the regulation prohibiting the use of imported alcohol for receptions and guests, and not to use official vehicles to serve individual activities during the Tet holiday.

2. Enhance supervision of dangerous infectious diseases causing epidemics, particularly avian influenza A(H5N1) pneumonia and other dangerous infectious diseases causing epidemics. Prepare sufficient medicines, chemicals, and materials to proactively respond to epidemics, especially in emergency situations. Organize epidemic duty shifts during the Tet holiday as prescribed.

3. Proactively and intensify inspections, checks, and handling of violations related to substandard food products and food safety hygiene at markets, food production and sales establishments serving the Tet holiday. Closely coordinate with relevant agencies to conduct surprise inspections of food production and sales establishments to minimize food poisoning incidents during the Tet holiday.

4. Organize medical examinations and treatments well during the Tet holiday. Medical examination and treatment facilities must arrange 24/24-hour duty shifts to ensure adequate capacity to promptly handle emergency cases, particularly traffic accidents, food poisoning, childbirth, etc., during Tet days. No emergency case shall be refused or delayed. Even if patients come from outside their designated area or specialty, initial emergency treatment must be provided, and they can only be transferred to other medical facilities after the patient and accompanying family members have been thoroughly informed. Properly organize patient transportation to higher-level facilities when necessary. Ensure sufficient stock of emergency medications to handle common emergencies, including traffic accident and disaster emergencies.

Enhance a sense of responsibility and service awareness towards patients, paying special attention to communication culture, courteous and amiable behavior, and strictly adhering to professional technical regulations. Provide comprehensive care and service, both material and spiritual, for patients still hospitalized or admitted for emergency treatment during the Tet holiday. Visit and present gifts to policy beneficiaries and poor patients.

The Treatment Department will plan inspection tours of hospitals during the Tet holiday.

5. Hospitals, central and local pharmaceutical companies must prepare sufficient medicines for treatment at reasonable prices and guaranteed quality, without allowing shortages of medicinal supplies. Inspect and promptly address illegal acts such as selling counterfeit drugs, substandard drugs, expired drugs, and sudden price hikes of drugs at pharmacies during the Tet holiday. Be ready to supply sufficient medicines when there is a mass emergency or epidemic outbreak, especially in the event of an avian influenza A(H5N1) epidemic. Publicize widely the names and addresses of pharmacies operating around the clock during the Tet holiday so that the public is aware.

Health sectors need to closely coordinate with local health units in monitoring, preventing and controlling epidemics, emergency care, and treatment activities.

Health facilities must closely cooperate with local security forces to ensure safety for the unit during the Tet holiday break. Increase inspections of fire prevention and explosion protection systems, electrical systems, and fuel storage tanks in accordance with regulations. Seal offices before leaving for the Tet holiday break.

Units must organize duty shifts at four levels: leadership duty, professional duty, logistics duty, and security-guard duty; publicly post the list of duty officers each day for unit leaders to inspect and urge when necessary.

8. Units must quickly return to normal operations immediately after the Tet holiday break. Particularly, implement reporting through written reports sent to the Ministry of Health for consolidation and reporting to the Government Prime Minister according to the following management systems:

-Medical Examination and Treatment System: send to the Treatment Department

-Preventive Health Care System: send to the Vietnam Preventive Medicine Bureau

-Food Safety and Hygiene System: send to the Food Safety and Hygiene Bureau

-Pharmaceutical Management System: send to the Vietnam Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau

-Inspection System: send to the Ministry Inspectorate

9. The Treatment Department, the Vietnam Preventive Medicine Bureau, the Food Safety and Hygiene Bureau, the Vietnam Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau, and the Ministry Inspectorate will develop report templates to be sent to units, urging units to properly report detailed results of health work during the Tet holiday, and submit reports to the Ministry Office by 10:00 AM on February 22, 2007 (the sixth day of the Lunar New Year). The Ministry Office will consolidate and submit to the Ministry leadership for reporting to the Government Prime Minister.

Upon receipt of this Directive, units must promptly disseminate and organize its implementation./.