Zing.vn - Former Health Minister shared memories of fighting SARS When the whole world was struggling to deal with Covid-19, former Health Minister Tran Thi Trung Chien still remembered memories of fighting SARS 17 years ago.
21/Feb/2020 @ 11:45 "SARS is now a memory and Covid-19 will be like that, Vietnam will definitely overcome this disease," said former Health Minister, Assoc. Prof. Tran Thi Trung Chien.
Former Health Minister told about memories of fighting SARS When the whole world was struggling to deal with Covid-19, former Health Minister Tran Thi Trung Chien still remembered memories of fighting SARS 17 years ago.
"Currently, the government's directions with the health sector are in the right direction," Associate Professor Dr. Tran Thi Trung Chien, former Minister of Health, told Zing.vn about the prevention of Covid-19.
former Health Minister, Assoc. Prof. Tran Thi Trung Chien. Image: Duy Anh.
The battle against SARS: Difficult, painful but proud
"Difficult, painful but proud", former Health Minister Tran Thi Trung Chien opened the story of "defeating" the SARS epidemic, at her office.
She recalled that at the end of February 2003, Johnny Cheng - a Chinese-American businessman from Hong Kong (China) - entered Vietnam-France Hospital (Hanoi) with flu-like symptoms, fever, severe coughing and difficulty breathing.
When the patient's illness was severe, the family took him home. The first morning of March, some doctors and doctors of Vietnam-French Hospital appeared like Johnny Cheng. SARS - an uninvited guest has arrived.
Working in the South, Minister Tran Thi Trung Chien suddenly received a call from Dr. Carlo Urbani - Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam.
"Please ask the minister to invite the experts from WHO immediately to support us," the Italian doctor told Ms. Chien after reporting on the virus he has not isolated, only knowing it is highly toxic, spread rapidly through the respiratory tract.
At that moment, Ms. Chien agreed to invite experts from WHO, CDC USA and other prestigious foreign doctors to come to Vietnam. When she hung up, she immediately drafted a decision to set up an emergency epidemic prevention committee.
She said that at that time, many people doubted the new minister's decision (Ms. Chien had been in office since July 2002).
"The situation is going to be endangered, I am not afraid and ready to take responsibility," she answered.
Health workers quickly mapped epidemics, zoning the places where businessmen Johnny Cheng passed; monitor temperature, isolate people having contact with him at the hotel.
The Ministry of Health reports to the Government and urgently establish a National Steering Committee for epidemic prevention.
The Ministry of Health also works with the Ministry of Defense to request the Military Medical Department to support the construction of field hospitals and helicopters to transport physicians, medical equipment and medicines in case of a widespread outbreak.
In Assoc.Prof. Chien's memory, 17 years ago, Vietnam responded quickly from the first day, becoming the first country to control the SARS pandemic - a nightmare of the whole world at that time. Photo: Duy Anh..
To convince Vietnamese students and students from the center of the epidemic area, the female minister came to Noi Bai airport, took off her mask and said: "I just want people to agree with the Government. water and people unanimously can fight the disease together. Believe me! "
After her persuasion, more than 300 people agreed to enter the quarantine area after hours of protest.
On March 12, WHO declared a global emergency of SARS. Never the road around Viet Phap Hospital (Hanoi) so deserted. The restaurant is closed, the surrounding streets are quiet. People stay away from Viet Phap Hospital because all the hospital staff have to isolate themselves and no one can go home.
"Must see our teammates and colleagues lie down, it is like a knife cut into our hearts."
Ms. Tran Thi Trung Chien, Former Minister of Health.
More than half of SARS patients at the time were health workers. The number of hospitalized people is increasing, many people have to use mechanical ventilation continuously. On March 15, nurse Luong - the first patient in our country died from SARS. Numbers do not stop there. Four doctors and two nurses are gone.
The day the patient finally died, all the doctors were shocked. “Watching our teammates and colleagues lie down, it was like a knife cut into our hearts. We know how dangerous the disease is. We take all measures to prevent, quarantine promptly and push back SARS. But after all, we failed to protect our colleagues. That's something I will never forget for the past ten years, ”the former minister choked.
She recalled after every meeting, standing silently in the corridor of the Ministry of Health, looking at the doctors without tears. She is grateful and respectful to her colleagues who accept to put themselves in danger to combat the pandemic.
Vietnam has been fighting the epidemic since the virus was not identified
During the anti-epidemic days, Minister Tran Thi Trung Chien not only attended meetings, directed and grasped the situation, but also went to hospitals, visiting patients and doctors.
When the first SARS patient at Bach Mai Hospital was discharged, Ms. Chien received the news, quickly left the meeting, and had fun with her family.
Knowing the minister intended to see patients off hospital, some people discouraged.
"I have to go congratulate patients and relatives assured that the cured person can have a normal life, the people around him do not worry about them. I went there to declare to the world that Vietnam has successfully treated SARS people, ”recalled the former Minister of Health.
At the hospital, Mrs. Chien took off the mask she was wearing to shake hands, talk and take photos with the sick.
The 74-year-old woman confided after working continuously, she had a fever for many days.
"I don't feel scared at all, even with fevers and coughing all the time," he said. I have experienced many dangers, even near the time of birth and death. Probably thanks to that, my resistance is very strong, it is not easy to get infected like that, ”Chien smiled when reminded of the old story.
She acknowledged that many doctors were too busy to worry about their own safety at that time. Vietnam has been fighting against epidemics since the virus causing pneumonia was not identified, SARS; since WHO has not had any specific instructions. She and the team of doctors and doctors both treated and monitored the situation of the patients to make up the regimen.
"In dangerous epidemics, people feel sick, they have to try to run far away. Only the medical personnel who are in charge of rushing to the front." said Ms. Tran Thi Trung Chien, Former Minister of Health.
“Many of my brothers asked me, if from now until the announcement of the end of the epidemic, we discover new cases, what should we do? I instructed to follow the press conference. If there is a new case, everything continues and we join hands to fight the epidemic, ”she said.
Thankfully, the press conference took place as scheduled on 28/4/2003 with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem, expert from WHO and a large number of foreign correspondents.
Ms. Trung Chien said that whenever she heard about the disease, whether it occurred inside or outside the country, even though it was not SARS but now Covid-19, she remembered the doctors and doctors who had died. Photo: Duy Anh.
To Ms. Chien, 45 days of fighting against SARS was a battle without gunfire, without knowing the enemy. Only the "warriors" dressed in white Blouse silently fought, quietly sacrificing that not everyone brave to do it.
“I love medical staff immensely. During dangerous epidemics, people find the disease tries to run far away. Only the medical personnel were responsible for rushing to the front, knowing they could be in danger. Saving people is something that doctors always put on top. "
Ms. Trung Chien said that whenever she heard about the disease, whether it happened inside or outside the country, even though it was not SARS, but now Covid-19, she remembered the brave doctors and doctors.
According to the former minister, compared with the incubation period of SARS (about 5-6 days), Covid-19 had a longer incubation period (14 days) but spread quickly, the mortality rate was lower than SARS.
Currently, our country has experience in combating SARS, as well as facilities, professional qualifications of the health sector, and better communication and information systems. In particular, the direction and creativity of the health sector, the cooperation of the people and the international community, she believes that despite the complicated disease situation, Vietnam will well control the situation.
When asked about the end of the Covid-19 epidemic in Vietnam, the former Minister of Health affirmed: “We can only fight the disease when we have the cooperation and contribution of the whole people and Chinh. covered. SARS is now a memory and so will Covid-19. Vietnam is bound to overcome this disease. ”
Source: Zing News
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