Directive 09/CT-BYT measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic

DIRECTIVE

On strengthening the implementation of measures to control
the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic, with the rapid transmission of Delta variant, still remains complicated and unpredictable in many countries and areas all around the world. In Vietnam, the pandemic has not been controlled thoroughly, especially in localities currently placed under social distancing in line with the Prime Minister's Directive No. 16/CT-TTg dated March 31, 2020; there is still a large number of citizens moving and circulating in some localities, and many confirmed cases are recorded in the community.

In order to strictly and thoroughly implement measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the National Day holiday (September 02), prevent the disease from spreading and minimize the outbreaks, and at the same time, draw experiences from the pandemic prevention and control during the last holiday of April 30, the Minister of Health hereby directs as follows:

1. Medical examination and treatment establishments

- Heads of medical examination and treatment establishments shall strengthen to direct the strict implementation to prevent COVID-19 transmission; conduct screening, classify, separate medical flows, and thoroughly control patients visiting for medical examination and treatment; organize to provide comprehensive care and treatment for patients. - To carry out inspection and surveillance of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control in departments, divisions, and units of the hospitals. It is not allowed to refuse to accept emergency patients, seriously or critically ill patients who come for examination and treatment.

- To organize emergency services, medical examination, and treatment, receipt, and treatment of COVID-19 patients; organize safe vaccination at the hospitals. To ensure human resources, medical supplies, and equipment, medicines for the treatment of patients according to pandemic scenarios; develop plans on transportation and referral in case of necessity.

- COVID-19 treatment establishments shall continue to update and implement treatment regimens according to the Ministry of Health's instructions. To ensure necessary conditions for the treatment of COVID-19 patients; especially in terms of human resources, sickbeds, ventilators, medical oxygen, and drugs, etc. To continue to effectively implement the coordination and referral in a timely, effective manner, especially for patients with severe symptoms. To promptly report arising difficulties for timely handling.

- To strengthen training for health staff on caring and providing treatment for COVID-19 patients, resuscitation and emergency, use of ventilators; training on sampling and testing; take measures to prevent cross-infection. To prepare human resources ready to provide aid to localities.

2. Preventive health care facilities

- To strengthen the supervision and early detect suspected cases in the community and cases showing symptoms of cough, fever in order to promptly localize, quarantine, and handle thoroughly the outbreak, prevent it from spreading in the community; at the same time, to carry out medical activities in the quarantine areas.

- To step up the testing and screening on a large scale, first in the blocked, very high-risk, and high-risk areas in the provinces and cities currently placed under social distancing. For high-risk and very high-risk areas, the test must be conducted every 2-3 days; for yellow and green areas, the test shall be conducted at least once. To continue to effectively organize the coordination, sampling, and returning of test results within 24 hours to ensure the test schedule. To instruct citizens to take samples for testing by themselves to prepare for the case of widespread disease.

- To be proactive and ready to implement the vaccination plan immediately after being allocated, ensuring timely and safe vaccination as planned.

- To be on duty around the clock to promptly follow up the pandemic developments; fully and promptly make reports on pandemic development as prescribed or make ad hoc reports upon request.

3. Departments of Health of provinces and centrally-run cities

- To advise the People's Committees of provinces and cities to develop a plan for pandemic prevention and control, especially during the National Day holiday (September 02), with the view of drastically implementing key solutions, including determining the strict implementation of social distancing is the basic, important and decisive measure to disease control; effective implementation of social security is important and regular measure; testing is the key solution to detecting infected cases (F0 cases) so that appropriate forms of management and care can be taken to reduce the source of infection; reducing mortality is a priority and vaccination is the long-term strategy.

Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong Province, and localities that are deploying mobile health stations shall continue to strengthen the effective implementation and operation of this model; effectively implement the program of controlled treatment of confirmed cases at home and in the community and implement the home health care package for F0 cases. Other localities shall prepare to deploy the mobile health stations; ensure adequate ventilators, medical oxygen, sickbeds, and drugs, etc. for establishments providing treatment for COVID-19 patients in localities.

- To make and prepare plans and scenarios for pandemic prevention and control according to specific situations, especially situations when the pandemic breaks out in the locality during the holiday period.

- To direct and organize the 24/7 duty and response to the forces participating in the fight against the pandemic in the area in order to promptly detect and handle problems arising before the pandemic development; avoiding subjectivity, negligence, loss of vigilance.

- To continue to direct, organize the implementation and inspection of the receipt and treatment of other diseases ensuring timeliness and effectiveness.

- To organize the strict implementation of reports and statistics according to regulations, especially reports on monitoring, testing, treatment, logistic, etc., avoiding late reports. To strengthen to effectively deploy technology applications in vaccination reporting, patient referral, etc.

- To formulate specific policies and activities to support the frontline forces participating in pandemic prevention and control physically and mentally; ensure adequate nutrition for the participants in the fight against the pandemic, and nutrition for patients, especially the severe cases.

4. The Medical Services Administration shall continue to update the treatment regimens, review professional documents and instructions in medical examination and treatment to compile, update and supplement in a concise, simple, and easy-to-understand manner. To follow up on the implementation of activities of COVID-19 treatment establishments to timely take support measures. To continue to direct medical examination and treatment establishments in the receipt and treatment of other diseases to ensure that people have timely and effective access to health care services.

5. The General Department of Preventive Medicine shall strengthen to instruct and support localities in monitoring, testing, vaccination; synthesize reports on the pandemic development to timely advice leaders of ministries on the assessment of the pandemic situation, models, and measures to control the pandemic in accordance with reality.

6. The Health Environment Management Agency shall continue to guide and support localities in quarantine management, ensuring safety in pandemic prevention and control in industrial parks, production, and business establishments, permit other forces to participate in pandemic prevention and control in the community; update and adjust guidelines and timely implement them according to the actual situation in localities.

7. The Administration for HIV/AIDS Control shall continue to monitor and closely follow up the implementation of the mobile health stations and community-based health working groups to update and adjust guidelines and timely implement them according to the actual situation in localities.

8. The Administration of Science, Technology, and Training shall direct, coordinate and provide maximum support to domestic vaccine research and manufacture units on the implementation process to speed up testing, manufacturing, and transfer of vaccine production technology; coordinate with localities to effectively implement the program of controlled treatment of confirmed cases at home and in the community.

9. The Drug Administration of Vietnam shall closely coordinate with units manufacturing and supplying drugs to ensure sufficient drug supply to COVID1-9 treatment establishments, avoiding disrupting the drug supply chain.

10. The Department of Planning and Finance shall urgently carry out the procurement of sufficient medical supplies and equipment provided for COVID-19 treatment establishments; review policies to propose support for officers in charge of pandemic prevention and control.

11. The Department of Communications and Emulation shall promote propaganda on the strict compliance with 5K requirements and 5T messages (Strictly adhere to 5K requirements - Prepare sufficient food at home - Doctors brings medicines to each home - everybody must be tested for COVID-19 - Vaccination is organized at wards and communes) for communes and wards currently placed under social distancing with stricter restrictions; have effective forms of communication so that the people pay attention, support and voluntarily participate in pandemic prevention and control; at the same time, coordinate with functional agencies to monitor, detect and report violations against anti-pandemic regulations.

12. Departments, Authorities, units affiliated to the Ministry of Health, and medical units of ministries and branches shall continue to effectively and timely organize and implement assigned tasks on COVID-19 prevention and control; organize forces on duty and response to ensure the schedule during the National Day holiday (September 02); avoiding subjectivity, negligence, loss of vigilance.

13. Implementation organization

Directors of Departments of Health of provinces and centrally-run cities, health units of sectors, heads of units affiliated to the Ministry shall direct the implementation of this Directive. The Ministry Office shall directly urge, monitor, and inspect the implementation. Authorities, Departments and Directorates, Ministry Inspectorate, and units affiliated to ministries shall coordinate in implementing within the assigned tasks and functions. Any difficulties arising in the course of implementation should be promptly reported to the Minister of Health for direction./.