In O Cho Dua ward (Dong Da district), a group of nearly 30 young volunteers take turns to give medicine bags to COVID-19 patients, instruct them on how to use the medicines, take care of their health and raise their spirit when undergoing home treatment.
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Volunteers collect information and support COVID-19 patients under home treatment via telephone. |
“Our daily tasks include calling patients, making prescriptions as instructed by medical staff, dispensing medicines, and providing SPO2 pulse oximeters and oxygen tanks for patients in need. All volunteers are local residents. In order to balance between schoolwork and voluntary activities, we work in shifts and support each other when necessary,” shared Nguyen Ba Tuan, a student at the Vietnam Women's Academy.
According to Nguyen Ngoc Hai Long, Secretary of the Youth Union of O Cho Dua ward, active assistance from young volunteers helps reduce the pressure on the local medical staff.
As soon as the mobile medical stations are deployed, young volunteers act as one of the core forces supporting COVID-19 patients quarantined at home. Currently, the ward has about 30 members participating in pandemic prevention and control.
Because the number of COVID-19 cases in Hoang Mai district has increased alarmingly recently, three squads of young volunteers with 150 members are urgently established and trained in order to reduce pressure on the local health system.
The Infection Data Management team is responsible for collecting data and updating situations of the COVID-19 patients treated at home. Meanwhile, the Infection Home Support Team connects patients with Hanoi’s network of young doctors for health advice and prescriptions.
The Rapid Response team follows the direction of the ward's Steering Committee for Pandemic Prevention and Control to ensure the supply and distribution of medicines or oxygen tanks to patients when needed. The Youth Union organizations from 14 wards also actively arrange volunteers to work at mobile medical stations and help infected cases and close contacts go shopping.
In Tay Ho district, the Youth Union organizations of eight wards send volunteers to coordinate with COVID-19 public groups and socio-political organizations to consult, look after and manage new infected cases in residential areas.
“Our youth union members urgently set up a team of over 10 volunteers to support COVID-19 patients under home treatment. The main task is to coordinate with COVID-19 public groups in residential areas, support patients directly through Zalo groups, update the data and contact infected cases to maintain daily health declaration before 10 a.m. each day,” said Pham Minh Thanh, Secretary of Tu Lien ward’s Youth Union organization.
According to Nguyen Duc Tien, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi municipal Youth Union Organization and Chairman of the Vietnam Youth Federation’s chapter of Hanoi, medical supplies have been urgently prepared. As of January 4, 2022, the city-level oxygen ATM station has more than 2000 different types of oxygen tanks, 800 pulse oximeters, 500 oxygen dividers, to name a few.”
The oxygen ATMs have been transported by the Hanoi municipal Youth Union organization, the Vietnam Youth Federation’s chapter of Hanoi and the Hanoi Young Business Association to local areas by 100 pick-up trucks of the Vietnam Off-Road Pick-up Club PVC.
In addition, the Youth Union members established hotlines, organized teams on night duty, received information, and coordinated with local functional units to verify cases in need. They worked closely with the network of “accompanying doctors” to measure SPO2 levels, manage mobile medical stations, receive and support COVID-19 patients.
In addition, students from academies, universities and colleges in the area have also also been mobilized. The network of “accompanying doctors” attracts more than 400 doctors and volunteers.
As of January 4, Hanoi has nearly 2,700 fully-registered volunteers and more than 1,200 other volunteers supporting with the data input and giving instructions to COVID-19 patients treated at home. The network of “accompanying doctors” has made over 54,300 phone calls, contributing to screening more than 20,000 COVID-19 infected cases.
In the spirit of “Pioneering - supporting - adapting,” Hanoi’s youth will continue accompanying relevant forces in supporting the treatment of COVID-19 patients and preventing the spread of COVID-19, especially on the occasion of Tet (lunar New Year).
Translated by Tra My - Binh Duong - Ngoc Anh - Tuan Anh