People in Thanh An island commune (Can Gio district, Ho Chi Minh City) travel by wooden boat to the mainland for medical examination and treatment - Photo: DUYEN PHAN
To do this, equipping modern emergency vehicles is essential and must be deployed quickly to help doctors and people feel secure in treating patients. Tuoi Tre recorded the opinions of medical experts and islanders about the need for water rescue boats.
* Mr. Nguyen Duy Long (Director of 115 Emergency Center, Ho Chi Minh City):
Developing a water rescue system is an urgent issue.
Mr. Nguyen Duy Long (Director of 115 Emergency Center, Ho Chi Minh City)
The outpatient emergency network plays a very important role, connecting primary health care and specialized hospitals. If not done in the right direction, it will lose the golden time to treat patients. If done in the right direction, it will reduce the burden of illness and death for the people.
Emergency accidents can happen at any time. Compared to some other provinces and cities, the city has started earlier, but currently it still cannot meet the emergency needs of the people.
Currently, the road emergency system in Ho Chi Minh City cannot meet the needs of the people, especially in the suburban areas where there are few emergency satellite stations such as Can Gio, Binh Chanh...
Ho Chi Minh City has canals, waterways, and river buses. Therefore, if emergency water transport can be implemented, this will be a channel to meet the needs of the people.
A typical example is in Thanh An island commune, where the means of emergency aid for people are still rudimentary, only wooden boats and canoes, making it very difficult, arduous and dangerous for people to go to the emergency room, and there will be no means of emergency response during storms. Therefore, it is necessary to soon equip modern emergency means, with sufficient first aid equipment to ensure the safety of patients and medical staff.
In particular, after Ho Chi Minh City merged with Ba Ria - Vung Tau, it was necessary to invest in the waterway emergency system. At this time, the scope of emergency needs is no longer "contained" on roads or Thanh An island commune, but also meets the needs of rescue, relief, and economic development at seaports.
* Mr. Huynh Van Thong (60 years old, resident of Thanh An island commune):
There must be a rescue ship soon.
Mr. Huynh Van Thong (60 years old, resident of Thanh An island commune)
In 2016, seeing the situation of the people on the island commune who had a small canoe for emergency treatment but no one knew how to drive it, I volunteered to go to Thanh An island commune.
Yet for nearly 10 years, I have witnessed countless tragic stories of patients.
This canoe has saved countless people from death, but I can't help but feel sad when I think about the people I took to the emergency room who died or lost the golden time of treatment when they got to the mainland.
The emergency vehicles are rudimentary and lack adequate equipment, so doctors have a hard time giving first aid to patients. Many people who have lived on the island all their lives share the same worry that if they get sick and need emergency care, they will not know what to do if there is heavy rain or strong winds.
I, like all the people on the island commune, wish to have a modern rescue boat to fight against illness and disease, to settle down and not have to worry about old parents, wives and children giving birth... This boat is not only meaningful to the people of Thanh An island commune but also to the surrounding areas such as Thieng Lieng hamlet, and the people who fish far from shore.
* Mr. Ha Anh Duc (Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Ministry of Health ):
Real need
Mr. Ha Anh Duc (Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Ministry of Health)
Currently, the Ministry of Health does not have specific statistics on water rescue activities nationwide. However, I affirm that water rescue is a real need both by river and by sea.
Every day, hundreds, even thousands of people travel by water, both short and long trips, near and far distances. Therefore, we need a complete and systematic survey to understand the actual needs, from which we can come up with a suitable emergency equipment plan.
When deploying, we have to calculate very carefully. First is to determine the type of vehicle to invest in: how will the rescue boat be equipped, in what situations will it be used? Next is human resources - who will operate it? How will they be trained?
And finally, the management mechanism - which unit will be responsible? It cannot be done carelessly, because this is a very specific field, requiring seriousness and synchronization from many sectors.
The Ministry of Health is currently developing a plan for emergency care outside hospitals and is planning to provide emergency care by water. However, I would like to emphasize that this is a long-term process and cannot be rushed. All solutions must be based on the results of thorough investigations and surveys, and be close to the actual needs of each area.
* Associate Professor, Dr. Tang Chi Thuong (Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health):
Priority #1
Associate Professor, Dr. Tang Chi Thuong (Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health)
Anyone who has ever been to Thanh An, witnessed or heard about the hardships of the rescue journey at sea, all share the same wish that the health care conditions of the people will be better in the future.
In particular, there are enough means of emergency, medical transfer, and health care for the people of this island commune.
Investing in a real water ambulance in Thanh An island commune will be the number 1 priority to "ensure medical fairness between the mainland and the island commune".
It is important to understand that if this ambulance ship is equipped, it will not only serve the islanders but also neighboring people such as Thieng Lieng Island, and fishermen in the waters of Can Gio and Vung Tau. And if the river route is developed, this ambulance ship can transport patients directly to Bach Dang Wharf (District 1), helping to save the "golden time" for patients.
Launching the program "Water rescue boat for Can Gio"
Understanding the difficulties and hardships of emergency care and aiming to help people on Thanh An island commune access doctors and medical facilities as soon as possible in emergency situations or cases requiring rescue, in June 2024, Tuoi Tre newspaper and Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union launched the program "Waterway ambulance for Can Gio".
The water ambulance for Can Gio will be a specialized vessel that can provide first aid, then transport emergency patients from Thanh An island commune and neighboring areas to medical centers and specialized hospitals that are not accessible by road or air.
In addition, the waterway rescue boat for Can Gio will support disadvantaged people and those in difficult circumstances to use it for free when they have urgent needs related to health and life.
With that spirit, the editorial board of Tuoi Tre newspaper hopes to continue to receive the companionship of readers near and far to join hands to contribute, support funds or medical equipment for the people of Can Gio island district to have a waterway rescue boat.
All support from readers is extremely meaningful, creating a ripple effect in society and opening up more opportunities for Can Gio residents to access medical services more quickly.
THU HIEN - DUONG LIEU
Comment (0)