Promoting the role of the "extended arm" of the health sector

In recent years, local health stations have made constant efforts to overcome difficulties, improve the quality of medical examination and treatment, and provide health care for people, especially ethnic minorities, with the desire to bring better medical services closer to people in disadvantaged areas.

In the early days of August, in the hot weather, medical staff of Dak Lieng Medical Station still tirelessly went to villages and alleys to propagate to people about dengue fever prevention. Stopping at Bang village, Doctor H'Nguom Hmok, Deputy Head of Dak Lieng Medical Station said that in the first 6 months of the year, this area recorded 2 cases of dengue fever.

Communication on dengue fever prevention for people in Bang village, Dak Lieng commune.

Since the beginning of the year, the station has developed a plan to prevent and control epidemics, especially common diseases such as measles, dengue fever, and hand, foot and mouth disease. In particular, the station has always checked and monitored key areas in some villages, including Bang village. At the same time, the station has also advised the Commune People's Committee to activate an environmental sanitation team to kill mosquito larvae in the commune twice a month, and spray chemicals to kill mosquitoes in villages and hamlets with outbreaks. In the villages, the living environment of the people is still quite humid, the livestock areas are close to people's houses, and there are many stagnant water containers that are not cleaned regularly, so communication and disease surveillance work must be strengthened.

Ms. H Nu Bdap, Party Cell Secretary and Head of Bang village, said that the whole village has 172 households and 754 people, most of whom are M'nong ethnic people. In recent years, thanks to the State's investment in the field of people's health care, people in villages and hamlets in Dak Lieng commune in general and Bang village in particular have had better access to health services. In particular, in disease prevention, proactive and preventive work has been carried out synchronously between the grassroots health sector and the village self-management board, creating close coordination in prevention and raising people's awareness of self-protection of health.

It can be said that over the years, Dak Lieng Health Station has invested in facilities, human resources, and basic materials to meet the task of taking care of people's health. In performing the task of vaccination, Dak Lieng Health Station has also implemented the procedures well, especially pre-vaccination screening, developing a one-way vaccination plan, from issuing books in order, consulting, screening for common diseases; observing and monitoring children's reactions after vaccination. Information on new vaccines such as Rotavirus diarrhea vaccine is also updated promptly for people to bring their children to take. The vaccination rate for people in the area always ensures the assigned plan.

Dak Phoi Medical Station staff provided first aid to a patient who was hit in the head by a hard object during work.

Not only stopping at the change from the health sector, the awareness of the villagers has also been gradually improved. From being hesitant and passive in medical examination and treatment, people have now proactively gone to the health station for regular health check-ups, participated in vaccination, disease prevention and implemented the recommendations of the health sector. That change not only shows the growing trust in the grassroots medical team, but also clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of communication and health consultation work in the community.

“Investing in primary health care is not only an immediate task, but also a long-term strategy to ensure equitable access to health services for all people.”

Director of Health Department Nay Phi La

Located in a particularly difficult area of Region 3, more than 100 km from the provincial center with an ethnic minority population of over 96%, in recent years, Dak Phoi Medical Station has invested in a systematic medical infrastructure, meeting the needs of medical examination and treatment right at the grassroots level.

Doctor H Mhia Je, Deputy Head of Dak Phoi Health Station, said that in addition to being a place for regular health check-ups, the station also regularly receives and handles emergency cases due to traffic accidents, anaphylactic shock, pregnancy complications, etc. In particular, the station is also a trusted address chosen by many mothers to give birth. In 2024, 10 babies were born at the station. Since the beginning of the year, 3 mothers have had "safe mothers and healthy children" thanks to the dedicated care of the medical staff of Dak Phoi Health Station.

“Currently, most of the station’s human resources have been standardized, ensuring the quantity and professional structure according to regulations. Midwives - the ones who directly deliver the mothers are professionally trained to perform normal deliveries. During the birth process, if the mother or baby encounters any problems or complications beyond the station’s ability to handle, the station will promptly transfer them to a higher-level medical facility for treatment,” added Dr. H Mhia Je.

According to Director of the Department of Health Nay Phi La, currently, grassroots health care is the “extended arm” of the health sector, playing a key role in protecting and providing primary health care for the people, especially in remote communes. Health stations are the closest to the people, understand the people best, if they do a good job of prevention, communication, and primary medical examination and treatment, it will reduce the burden on the upper level, save costs and improve the effectiveness of health care for the whole population.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/xa-hoi/202508/phat-huy-vai-tro-canh-tay-noi-dai-cua-nganh-y-te-7650610/