Improving the quality of medical examination and treatment on Phu Quy Island

For many years, the healthcare sector on Phu Quy Island (Lam Dong province) has lacked modern equipment. The island is located more than 100 km from the mainland; a speedboat takes about 3 hours to reach it, and during rough seas or storms, only cargo ships can travel there, but the journey takes more than 6 hours.

The Phu Quy Special Zone Military-Civilian Medical Center has only one blood testing machine.

Therefore, when there is a critically ill patient on the island who needs emergency care, the only option is to hire a helicopter, which costs several hundred million dong.

In late December 2025, a resident of Phu Quy Island suffered a stroke, but due to rough seas, the speedboat service was suspended. During the critical "golden hour" for treatment, the patient's family had to hire a helicopter at a cost of over 300 million VND to transport the patient to a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for emergency care. However, for most of the island's residents, life is still difficult, and in such a situation, they would likely have to resign themselves to fate.

Dr. Bui Thi Thao, Deputy Director of the Phu Quy Special Zone Military-Civilian Medical Center, stated that since 2019, the center's infrastructure has deteriorated in many areas. Although basic equipment and machinery are sufficient according to standards, and the medical workforce is more numerous than in other localities, compared to the overall development of the healthcare sector, the facilities here still fall short of expectations. Currently, the center only possesses one laboratory testing machine, which, if damaged, must be sent to the mainland for repairs lasting several months, causing significant difficulties in diagnosis, examination, and treatment. Furthermore, while the center has thrombolytic drugs, the "gold standard" for saving stroke patients, it cannot be used due to the lack of a CT scanner for accurate diagnosis and the high cost of the medication.

According to reports, hundreds of people visit the center for examination and treatment every day. While waiting for his turn, Mr. Nguyen Van Quan said that the medical system on the island can basically diagnose and treat simple illnesses. However, for serious cases such as stroke, myocardial infarction, and traumatic brain injury, the capacity for emergency care and treatment on-site is still limited, and people have to travel to the mainland for emergency treatment. He hopes that in the future, the center will be able to treat serious illnesses on-site, minimizing referrals to higher-level facilities, saving people both time and money.

Currently, the Phu Quy Special Zone Military-Civilian Medical Center has received professional support and tuition-free training from Bach Mai Hospital, including technology transfer, until 2028. Dr. Thao stated that from March 2026, center staff will be sent to Bach Mai Hospital to participate in emergency training courses; the center will also receive specialized equipment for emergency consultations.

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In the future, with a well-trained team and additional remote support from Bach Mai Hospital, the center expects to be able to treat many serious illnesses locally. Furthermore, the center recently received nearly 5 billion VND in funding from Binh Thuan Lottery Company Limited for equipment purchases, and the Provincial Department of Health invested in a CT scanner.

According to Ms. Huynh Thi Phuong Duyen, Director of the Lam Dong Provincial Department of Health, the medical staff on the island are being sent for training to gradually master advanced techniques, prioritizing emergency care and strengthening offline professional connections. In addition, the donation of a Telemedicine system from Bach Mai Hospital – a remote medical examination service – allows doctors from Bach Mai Hospital to directly see patients, read CT scans, and issue timely treatment orders on Phu Quy Island. Intervention on the island during the "golden hour" will increase the recovery rate and return to normal life to 60-70%, contributing to keeping patients treated on the island, reducing the pressure on referrals to higher-level hospitals, and saving costs for the people. This is also part of the digital transformation of healthcare, making technology a practical tool to improve the quality of healthcare in disadvantaged areas.

The Phu Quy Special Zone Military-Civilian Medical Center acknowledges that the unit has only performed simple surgeries. The number of successors is limited, mainly consisting of local residents who received scholarships through the selection process for universities in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions, as this is a remote area where the benefits and compensation are not commensurate with reality. Over the past five years, the island has only added three dentists, one for traditional medicine, and one for general practitioners; there is a shortage of specialists, especially in emergency resuscitation, cardiovascular intervention, and neurosurgery.

According to the People's Committee of Phu Quy Special Economic Zone, in 2025, the total number of medical examinations on the island will be 6,482, with 7 cases referred to higher-level facilities. The island's regional allowance of 0.3 and special allowance of 30% are considered inadequate given the unique conditions of the locality (regional allowances for other special economic zones: Ly Son is 0.7; Phu Quoc is 0.5). Whenever there are storms or large waves, Phu Quy is completely isolated, affecting the lives of the people and the operation of the government.

In addition, the cost of living on the island is 30-50% higher than on the mainland. “Therefore, Phu Quy proposes that the Provincial Department of Internal Affairs consider and report to the Provincial People's Committee to recommend to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to adjust and increase the regional allowance for the island to 0.7 and the minimum allowance to 50% in order to encourage officials to work,” said Le Hong Loi, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Quy Special Economic Zone.

According to the Director of the Department of Health, Huynh Thi Phuong Duyen, Phu Quy currently has 121 medical staff (including 29 doctors); hospital beds are basically sufficient, but the provision of medical examination and treatment for the island's residents is still weak and inadequate. The health sector is prioritizing investment in upgrading facilities and equipment on the island to better meet the medical needs of the people.

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The people of Phu Quy Island hope that more leading hospitals will continue to support the island's healthcare sector, improving the quality of medical examination and treatment.

THANH HAI

Source: https://nhandan.vn/cai-thien-chat-luong-kham-chua-benh-o-dao-phu-quy-post970601.html