Ministry of Health's request for proactive response to natural disasters and storm season in Vietnam

Ministry of Health's request for proactive response to natural disasters and storm season in Vietnam (Image from the internet)

On August 2, 2024, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam issued Official Dispatch 4469/BYT-KH-TC regarding the proactive response to natural disasters and the storm season in Vietnam.

Ministry of Health's request for proactive response to natural disasters and storm season in Vietnam

Due to the impact of the circulation of storm No. 2, the Northern region, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An experienced heavy to very heavy rain, causing localized deep flooding, affecting the business production and livehoods of residents in Chuong My district, Hanoi city, Son La province, and other areas; notably, there have been serious human casualties in Mai Son and Thuan Chau districts, Son La province due to landslides and flash floods, resulting in at least 5 deaths, 4 missing persons, and 1 injured person. According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, from now until the end of 2024, natural disasters will become more complex and extreme due to the La Nina phenomenon; currently, it is the main rainy season in the Northern region and the Central Highlands provinces, and in the coming time, rain and floods will continue to be complex and unpredictable, with a very high risk of large floods, flash floods, and landslides.

Implementing Official Telegram 72/CD-TTg dated July 24, 2024, from the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam regarding the focus on overcoming the consequences of rainstorms caused by storm No. 2 and proactive response to rainstorms and landslides in the near future; To proactively respond and minimize losses, especially the lives and properties of people during the 2024 storm season; the Ministry of Health requests the Health Departments of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government and the units under the Ministry of Health to implement some of the following content:

- Strictly implement the directives of the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam; the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control; the National Committee for Incident, Natural Disaster Response, and Search and Rescue; the Ministry of Health, and related documents on the implementation of natural disaster prevention and control and search and rescue work.

- Closely monitor weather warning and forecasting bulletins on public media, proactively grasp the developments of storms and floods to proactively develop prevention and control plans.

- Hospitals/institutes with beds under the Ministry of Health: be ready with human resources, ambulances, medical equipment, drugs, and consumables for at least two mobile emergency teams (note the emergency trauma medical reserves) to promptly assist the provinces affected by the storm when ordered.

- The Health Departments of the provinces and cities:

+ Direct and bear the responsibility for supervising and checking hospitals and affiliated units in preparation for emergency response when affected by storms and floods, especially trauma emergency; ensuring continuous communication lines 24/7 with emergency units to be ready to participate in emergency response when ordered.

+ Cooperate with localities to inspect, review unsafe medical facilities in areas at risk of landslides during heavy rains; proactively organize the relocation of medical facilities in low-lying, high-risk areas of flood, flash flood, and landslide.

+ Review, adjust, and supplement the reserve of drugs, chemicals, medical supplies for disaster prevention and search and rescue during the storm season according to the principle of "four on-site"; ensure the supply of essential medicines for the people, not to be caught off guard.

+ Organize environmental sanitation work, disease prevention according to the guidance of the Ministry of Health; stabilize medical examination and treatment for people after floods.

+ Summarize and report the damage situation, propose the health care needs of the locality (if any) to the Ministry of Health (through the Standing Office of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue of the Ministry of Health; Mr. Nguyen Huy Minh, specialist of the Department of Planning - Finance, Ministry of Health of Vietnam, Tel: 0913.431.927, Email: minhnh.khtc@moh.gov.vn).

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