The Australian delegation included Mr. Matthew David Nixon and Mr. Benjamin James Evans, crisis management experts from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia. On the side of the Australian Embassy in Ha Noi was Mr. Nguyen Viet Anh, consular specialist.

Receiving the delegation, on the side of Bach Mai Hospital was Assoc.Prof.Dr. Vu Van Giap, Deputy Director of the Hospital. Also attending were Dr. Le Quang Thuan, Deputy Director of the Poison Control Center; M.Sc. Vu Tuong Lan, Deputy Director of the A9 Emergency Center; BSCKII. Nguyen Ba Cuong, Intensive Care Center, along with representatives from the Hospital Office, and the Institute for Training and Research in Medicine and Pharmacy.

With its natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and diverse tourism routes, Ninh Binh is currently an attractive destination for domestic and international tourists, including Australian citizens. Alongside tourism experiences, the ability to access medical services in the event of incidents, accidents, or acute illnesses is a crucial factor in ensuring safety for travelers.

In this context, the delegation's representative stated that the Australian side wishes to update information on medical facilities in Ninh Binh and surrounding areas as a basis for issuing recommendations and supporting citizens when medical care is needed, especially in emergency situations.

Discussing with the delegation, Assoc.Prof.Dr. Vu Van Giap introduced the professional capacity of Bach Mai and the connection between the Ha Noi and Ninh Binh facilities. The Ninh Binh facility has a scale of 1,000 hospital beds, oriented to serve the examination and treatment needs of about 20 million people in the southern region of the Red River Delta and the North Central region. Its location near the expressway and tourism centers also facilitates access and admission for patients in need of urgent medical support.

With a team of experienced doctors, nurses, and medical staff mobilized from the Ha Noi facility, the Bach Mai Hospital Ninh Binh facility inherits a solid professional foundation, treatment procedure systems, and multi-specialty coordination capabilities of the Hospital. The fields of emergency medicine, intensive care, poison control, surgery, intervention, diagnostic imaging, and laboratory testing support the assessment and management of critically ill patients and complex cases.

The experience in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the contents shared by Assoc.Prof.Dr. Vu Van Giap. Through treating critically ill patients and participating in supporting localities, including Ho Chi Minh City, the Hospital has accumulated experience in organizing emergency care, resuscitation, resource mobilization, and coordination under high-pressure conditions. Those experiences continue to be applied in building plans for receiving multiple patients simultaneously, responding to natural disasters, accidents, and maintaining medical examination and treatment activities during incidents.

The two sides focused on discussing the capability of receiving, triaging patients and mobilizing hospital beds, human resources, and equipment when the number of patients surges drastically; emergency transport capacity, including the transportation of critically ill patients with ECMO support when necessary. Conditions ensuring continuous operation and support for foreign patients such as backup power sources, maintenance of information systems, hospital security, and interpretation were also discussed, linked with the coordination mechanism in emergency situations.

According to information shared at the working session, over the past two years, Bach Mai Hospital has received and treated more than 3,800 foreign patient visits, including 49 Australian citizens. Assoc.Prof.Dr. Vu Van Giap also introduced the application of digital technology and artificial intelligence in supporting professional expertise and patient services, aiming to enhance the quality of care and accessibility to services.

Concluding the working program, Australian experts visited the Poison Control, Emergency, Intensive Care, and Radiology units at the Ninh Binh facility, directly exploring the physical infrastructure, equipment, and professional operations of the Hospital.

The working session provides the Australian side with further information regarding medical capabilities in Ninh Binh and strengthens contact points when citizens need assistance. With a professional foundation, experience in responding to emergency situations, and the connection between the two facilities, Bach Mai Hospital continues to affirm its role as a trusted healthcare address for the people, tourists, and the expatriate community in Viet Nam.

Hospital Office - Thanh Duong