Covid taskforce reassigns hospital staff

The National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control plans to transfer medical staff assigned to temporary hospitals in Vientiane to the city’s main hospitals, where resources are limited.
The taskforce will also increase the number of staff working in Intensive Care Units at central hospitals.
The taskforce comprises health authorities, medical experts and infection control experts, who plan to make changes towards the standardised management of Covid patients.
During hospital inspections, taskforce members discussed ways to ensure problems were dealt with promptly, to prevent the spread of infection in Intensive Care Units.
The Deputy Director General of Mahosot Hospital, Dr Khamsai Detvixay, outlined the plans on Tuesday when announcing that a facility belonging to the Lao Football Federation in Huayhong village would be designated as a new temporary hospital.
The government is preparing temporary facilities in Vientiane to accommodate patients when hospitals become full.
The new temporary hospital, with 138 beds, is able to accommodate Covid-19 patients and provide basic treatment.
Some 200 Covid-19 patients have been admitted to the temporary hospital in Huayhong village and other temporary facilities.
Leading a press briefing on behalf of the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control of the Ministry of Health, Dr Sisavath Soutthaniraxay, gave an update on the number of new Covid cases reported around the country.
He announced 49 new infections, with the total number in Laos now standing at 1,687. The positive test results were obtained after 1,199 samples were tested on May 17.
Eight new cases were reported in Vientiane, while Bokeo province recorded 26 and Champassak 15, all of which are believed to be imported.
A total of 999 people are currently in Mitthaphab Hospital in Vientiane and hospitals in Savannakhet, Champassak and Luang Prabang provinces. They will remain in hospital until they twice test negative for Covid-19 and can be discharged. Two deaths from the virus have been reported.
Dr Sisavath said that if the Ministry of Health can cope with the situation in central Vientiane, it should be able to contain the spread of the virus countrywide. Disease control efforts are focused on each of Vientiane’s nine districts as well as the provinces.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
(Latest Update May 19, 2021)