HELPING HANDS HEALTH EDUCATION

HOSPITAL/CLINIC

An Overview of Vi Thanh Hospital

The hospital at Vi Thanh is the newly appointed referral center for the province of Hau Giang. In that capacity, it serves a population of approximately 800,000.  The hospital is fully staffed with well-trained physicians. Vi Thanh is a satellite teaching center for the Can Tho Medical School, and at any given time there are approximately 40 to 50 medical students working at the hospital on an 8 week rotation.

Major departments at the hospital include internal medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics, surgery, emergency, ICU and traditional medicine. There is a lab on site that can perform all the basic blood tests including CBC, chemistries, LFTs, INR/PTT, TSH, and troponin.  The pharmacy is reasonably well stocked.  There are two functioning operating rooms.

Our medical team along with the local medical staff will be working to help the villagers by setting up a temporary medical camp in a surrounding satellite clinics. In some cases we may have to stay over night for 3 to 4 days or we may make day trips to clinics. In other words, we could stay overnight at the Vi Thanh hospital and provide the medical service to the people at the satellite clinic.

Transportation for the volunteers will be provided by the organization or the local authorities. We may talk about motorcycles for the transportation and sometimes jeep or mini van.

Overview of Vi Tân Clinic

The Vi Tan clinic is about 15 minutes by motorcycle from the Vi Thanh hospital, and is considered one of the poorer districts in the region.  The clinic is staffed entirely by a small number of nurses who provide 24 hour on-call service, including obstetrics.  There are no lab or imaging facilities on site and patients must be sent to the emergency department of Vi Thanh hospital when these are required.

In addition to the main clinic, Vi Tan is also served by a number of smaller “health outposts” that are scattered throughout.  These outposts are staffed by a single nurse who works in isolation and provides 24 hour care.  Often, they run a shop to supplement their income.  Their resources are limited to an examining bed and the most basic of equipment, as well as a small “pharmacy” of 10 to 15 key drugs.

The nurses at the Vi Tan clinic are practicing without a doctor and often in isolation. They need further training and education.  Therefore, there is a great potential for Helping Hands volunteers to make significant contribution in the field of health in this area. There are many people in the area who are unable to afford the travel and cost of care at the hospital.

Overview of Hoa Luu Clinic

Hoa Luu is a clinic approximately 15 minutes by motorcycle from the Vi Thanh hospital.  The clinic is staffed by one doctor (in a supervisory role) and a handful of nurses who provide the bulk of the direct care.  There is no lab or imaging available on site. Patients must be sent to the emergency department at the Vi Thanh hospital when these services are required.  The clinic only sees patients in the morning, with approximately 20 visits per day.

Helping Hands' contribution in the form of medical equipment and professional volunteers can alleviate medical problems of the people in this area.

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Welcome Aboard to Helping Hands and the world of service!