The Ministry of Health of Vietnam requests proactive response to natural disasters, floods in the last months of 2024 and early 2025 in Vietnam

The Ministry of Health of Vietnam requests proactive response to natural disasters, floods in the last months of 2024 and early 2025 in Vietnam​ (Image from the internet)

On November 26, 2024, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam issued Official Dispatch 7316/BYT-KH-TC requesting proactive responses to natural disasters and floods at the end of 2024 and early 2025.

The Ministry of Health of Vietnam requests proactive response to natural disasters, floods in the last months of 2024 and early 2025 in Vietnam

According to the forecast of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, early morning November 20, the tropical depression (weakened from storm No. 9 - international name: Manyi) weakened into a low-pressure area over the northwestern waters of the Hoang Sa Archipelago. From December 2024 to February 2025, the activity of storms, tropical depressions in the East Sea area and their impact on our mainland is likely to be approximately average over many years. Storms and tropical depressions are likely to concentrate on the Central and Southern provinces of Central Vietnam. Large rainfalls will continue to appear in the South Central and Central region during the second half of November and early December 2024. Cold air is likely to be active from December 2024 to February 2025, causing severe and damaging cold spells. Severe cold is likely to appear widely in the Northern region from the second half of December 2024.

To proactively respond and mitigate damage, particularly to the lives and properties of the people, the Ministry of Health suggests that the Health Departments of provinces and centrally affiliated cities, and units under the Ministry of Health execute the following measures:

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

- Closely monitor weather warning and forecasting bulletins on mass media, proactively grasp the developments of storms and floods to implement preventive and responsive plans.

- Hospitals/institutes with inpatient beds under the Ministry of Health: Prepare personnel, ambulances, a medical equipment quota, drugs, and consumable materials for at least two mobile rescue teams (pay attention to the quota for trauma emergencies) to promptly offer assistance to provinces affected by storms and floods when ordered.

- Health Departments of provinces and cities:

+ Direct and take responsibility for supervising and inspecting hospitals and units under their management for readiness to respond in the event of storms and floods, particularly for trauma emergencies; ensure 24/7 communication with emergency units to be ready for rescue deployment.

+ Review, adjust, and supplement the reserves of medicines, chemicals, and medical supplies for disaster prevention and search and rescue during the rainy and stormy seasons under the "four-on-the-spot" approach; ensure sufficient supply of essential drugs for the people, avoid being passive or caught by surprise.

+ Organize environmental sanitation, disease prevention and control as directed by the Ministry of Health; stabilize medical examination and treatment for the public after floods.

+ Educate the public to implement safety measures and keep warm, particularly for the elderly, children, and students; guide the public on how to maintain warmth and prevent cold, avoiding complications related to respiratory and cardiovascular issues.

+ Compile and report damage situations, propose the Ministry of Health for local medical needs (if any) (through the Standing Office of the Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue Command Committee - Ministry of Health; Mr. Nguyen Huy Minh, Officer of the Department of Planning and Finance, Ministry of Health, Phone: 0913.431.927, Email: minhnh.khtc@moh.gov.vn).

The Health Departments of provinces, cities, and units under the Ministry of Health of Vietnam are requested to strictly and urgently implement these measures.

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