MND conducts large-scale exercise on medical emergency response

PANO - On June 18, at the National Military Training Center No.4, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) organized a large-scale exercise on medical emergency response for Central Military Hospital 108 (coded PTDS-108-26), under the direction of General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of National Defense.

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General Cuong emphasized that civil defense is a key component of national defense, particularly in the context of increasingly complex and unpredictable challenges from natural disasters, epidemics, environmental incidents, and other non-traditional security threats. The exercise aimed to enhance command and control, coordination, resource mobilization, and emergency medical response capabilities.

General Nguyen Tan Cuong speaks at the event.

Delegates at the exercise

This was the first large-scale civil defense exercise conducted by the Central Military Hospital 108, with coordination of multiple military and civilian organizations, including the Air Defense - Air Force Service, Hanoi Capital Command, Vietnam Border Guard, Engineering Corps, Chemical Corps, Signal Corps, military medical institutions, and Hanoi’s Fire-Fighting and Rescue Police.

The exercise featured three major scenarios of hospital fire response; radiological and hazardous chemical incident; and structural collapse and field hospital deployment. In the first scenario, a simulated fire at the hospital’s inpatient tower required evacuation of patients and staff, firefighting operations, helicopter-assisted rescue, triage, and emergency medical treatment.

Participating forces conduct exercise contents.

In the second scenario, a simulated radioactive and toxic chemical leak exceeded the hospital’s response capacity, prompting deployment of Chemical Corps units for radiation monitoring, decontamination, victim rescuing, and hazardous waste containment.

The third scenario was that a gas explosion causing widespread building collapse in a residential area, requiring search and rescue operations and the rapid establishment of a U.N.-standard level-3 field hospital. Forces from the Engineering Corps, the Vietnam Border Guard, the hospital, and on-site forces were mobilized.

Delegates inspect the field hospital.

A key highlight of the exercise was the deployment of the Field Hospital 108 for the first time in Vietnam, a level-3 of its kind built under U.N. standards. The 100-bed facility is equipped with advanced diagnostic, surgical, laboratory, and intensive care capabilities, and can perform up to 15 major and 30 minor surgeries per day while supporting aeromedical evacuation and comprehensive inpatient care in 30 days.

After the exercise was completed successfully and safely, General Nguyen Tan Cuong and delegates inspected the field hospital, rescue equipment, and the hospital’s emergency medical response capabilities.