In the past 10 days, Ho Chi Minh City’s Covid-19 treatment system has had the participation of 4 new hospitals, including half of Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital converted to a `split` model, separate blocks at Children’s 2 and Children’s Hospital.

A representative of Trung Vuong Covid-19 Treatment Hospital said the hospital has been accepting patients since June 19, after converting its functions from Trung Vuong Hospital, responsible for treating Covid-19 patients with other diseases.

The hospital has 1,000 beds, with 100 recovery beds.

Doctor Tran Chanh Xuan, Director of Cu Chi Covid-19 Treatment Hospital, said the hospital is treating 372 cases, of which 8 severe cases require intensive care treatment (ICU), three cases require mechanical ventilation.

The hospital has 500 beds, including 20 intensive care beds, operating from June 12 on the basis of converting functions from Cu Chi District Hospital.

In addition to the appropriately restructured staff working at Cu Chi District Hospital, the health sector also mobilized specialist doctors from city hospitals to provide professional support and on-site intervention.

The `Children’s Covid-19 Treatment Unit` at Children’s Hospital 2 also began receiving Covid-19 pediatric patients from 5 days ago, currently using its full capacity of 60 beds.

Here, doctors and nurses are divided into three groups to take turns doing tasks.

Dr. Le Manh Hung, Deputy Director in charge of expertise at Can Gio Covid-19 Treatment Hospital, said this morning this place treated 566 patients, out of a total capacity of 600 beds.

Covid-19 treatment unit at Children’s Hospital 2. Photo provided by the hospital.

Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital `split in half` with half specializing in Covid-19 treatment from June 13, with a scale of 500 beds, with a 60-bed resuscitation department, also receiving many seriously ill patients from other places.

The number of Covid treatment beds in Ho Chi Minh City currently reaches 3,500 capacity.

Currently, the city applies two models of medical facilities to treat Covid-19 patients.

According to the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, severe Covid-19 patients require specialized treatment interventions, especially with other diseases such as hemodialysis… Therefore, the city chooses hospitals

Due to the high infectiousness of this epidemic, patients must be treated at hospitals that only specialize in receiving Covid-19, not mixed in a general hospital, except for the `split hospital` model.

Press conference on developments in the Covid-19 situation in the city, on the afternoon of June 19, Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc affirmed that the city’s medical resources still respond well to the current epidemic situation.

Ho Chi Minh City has prepared a response scenario in case of an outbreak of 5,000 Covid-19 cases requiring treatment, with 1,000 resuscitation beds, 55 beds placed in central pressure chambers and 1,000 ventilators.

Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Tang Chi Thuong said that currently the city still ensures equipment and machinery for Covid-19 treatment.

Minister Nguyen Thanh Long on June 19 asked Ho Chi Minh City to prepare for a scenario of 5,000 infections, and coordinate with the military to plan to establish a field hospital.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son, Head of the Special Standing Department of the Ministry of Health supporting Ho Chi Minh City to fight Covid-19, also assessed that Ho Chi Minh City can fully meet the needs of receiving and treating Covid-19 patients.

According to Mr. Son, when the number of infected cases approaches 5,000, the city must prepare for a plan of 10,000 cases.

Yesterday, the number of daily cases in Ho Chi Minh City peaked with 166 cases, the highest since the epidemic appeared a year and a half ago.

Le Phuong