Associate Professor, Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment addresses the event

Addressing the event, Associate Professor, Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, said that Vietnam is a hot spot of newly emerging communicable diseases that have a high risk of becoming an epidemic.

In recent years, Vietnam has countered SARS, influenza A virus subtypes H1N1 and H5N1, foot-and-mount disease, and measles, and it is battling dengue fever. The fatality ratio from the diseases was estimated at 30% in 2010.

Currently, patients can enjoy easy and quick access to health care services. However, health care facilities have been frequently overloaded, especially central hospitals.

Khue said that a improvement in capacity in clinical management of infectious diseases is a priority of the Ministry of Health. He also pointed to various policies and projects in the field.

Since 2012, with the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment has evaluated the capacity and demand for training in the clinical management of acute respiratory infection, as well as in building training programmes and translating the guidelines of the WHO.

At the event, participants also assessed the current situation and defined the directions for the management of the clinical management of acute respiratory infection and newly-emerging communicable diseases in Vietnam. They also shared their actual experience in the field.