Da Nang conducts drills to improve disease response capacity

This is a hypothetical simulation scenario to test command, coordination and operation capabilities between units, not to handle real cases.

The drill was conducted at three key locations including Da Nang International Airport, Son Tra Medical Center and An Hai Ward residential area. The drill content recreated the steps that authorities may have to take when a dangerous epidemic enters the community.

According to the procedure, the first location in the assumption is at the gate of Da Nang International Airport. The hypothetical situation is that through the body temperature monitoring camera system of the international health quarantine department at the international arrival terminal, a passenger with a high body temperature is detected. Through checking clinical symptoms as well as exploiting epidemiological factors, it is found that this is a suspected case of Ebola virus disease.

Immediately, the information, reporting, direction and inter-sectoral coordination system was deployed to respond to suspected cases, ensuring quick, timely and correct handling.

The exercises here focus on decision-making mechanisms, command and control work, and communication exchange between agencies and units at the border gate in response to situations.

Next, the second presumptive location is at Son Tra Medical Center, the medical team carries out the entire process of receiving information about suspected cases, activating the "green channel" emergency response system to admit and treat patients, while closely coordinating with departments and rooms under the direction of the Medical Center's Board of Directors.

Finally, in the An Hai ward community, a close contact who was quarantined at home showed symptoms of fever, notified the medical collaborator to report to the health station, made a list of close contacts, carried out quick epidemic response measures and coordinated with the authorities to encourage people to stay calm, at the same time, arising situations such as concerns about the spread of the epidemic or requests for information were also incorporated to test the ability to handle crisis communication.

During the exercise, with a high sense of responsibility and careful preparation, the operating mechanism was organized according to three seamless scenarios: receiving information, reporting and activating the epidemic prevention and control operating mechanism at the airport, activating the admission, isolation and initial treatment of cases at designated medical facilities, and activating the event-based surveillance system, investigating and handling suspected secondary cases in the community.

According to records, although it was just a hypothetical situation, the seriousness of each employee, the careful preparation of the units and the proactive spirit of the locality demonstrated the determination to improve response capacity and minimize risks when dangerous epidemics enter the city in the future.

The leader of the International Health Quarantine Department (CDC Da Nang) said that this exercise not only reviews and evaluates the processes and coordination activities between agencies and units, but also checks the readiness to respond to unexpected situations related to epidemics. Through the exercise, incomplete contents will be detected and corrected promptly, helping to respond effectively if a real epidemic occurs.

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