In the fight against Covid-19 in Hanoi over the past two years, the Hanoi’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has done a good job in curbing the pandemic and saving lives. A conversation with Dr La Thi Lan, Deputy Director of the Hanoi CDC will help us understand the pandemic fight over the years.

Dr. La Thi Lan - Deputy Director of Hanoi CDC discussed with a healthcare worker. Photo: Thanh Hai

How has Hanoi CDC been involved in the capital’s prevention and control of the pandemic over the past two years?

Hanoi, with a large population and people’s movement, was identified from the very beginning as a place with very high risks of disease outbreaks. So we made pandemic prevention a top priority. Before Hanoi’s first case was detected, we already issued guidance for primary medical facilities on isolation, protective equipment, disinfection, waste management, among others. Thanks to this effort, the healthcare system was not perplexed when the pandemic flared up.

It can be said that the medical sector quickly involved in the fight against the highly infectious disease. At that time, vaccines were not available yet, so we had to implement the zero-Covid strategy. Where infection cases or clusters appeared, CDC officials were there to encourage and discuss with primary-level workers how to localize and take samples appropriately. Primary facilities, then still lacking experience and decisiveness, was really in need of CDC’s opinions and decisions.

Ever since the first local outbreak, staff of Hanoi CDC as well as the capital’s healthcare sector have always tried their best to perform an indescribably arduous task. Indeed, Hanoi’s Covid-19 prevention and control so far deserve praise for being on the right track. The zero-Covid strategy and social distancing were implemented fully and effectively. As a result, the pandemic was contained, the number of hospitalized cases and deaths was minimized.

The Hanoi CDC and the capital’s healthcare sector try their best during the pandemic. Photo: Thanh Hai

Can you share more about the things that remain from the hard anti-pandemic days?

Over the past two years, too many unforgettable memories have been with the healthcare sector, because this is the fiercest pandemic in 100 years. For many people, including me, during the tough time, a sense of responsibility to the community suddenly surged up.

It’s obsessed with difficulties the workers of Hanoi CDC and the medical centers citywide working continuously without rest and never having enough time to finish their meals.

During the past time, everyone was busy and seemed to have no concept of time. Night after night, we couldn’t sleep because of worries, constantly calling our colleagues for information about the pandemic situation, investigations, and testing results. As the number of Covid-19 fatalities rose, we had to work even harder. I remember a slogan that I heard long ago: “He who sweats more in training bleeds less in war” which is so true in the pandemic prevention and control. Good preventive measures ease treatment and reduce costs in terms of manpower, resources and fatalities.

After two years of fighting against the pandemic, it can be said that Covid-19 has brought us closer together, not physically, but in the spirit and determination to combat the pandemic as the whole society joined the fight. For that reason, the pandemic shows how precious solidarity and mutual care are. These are the things that remain in each of us.

My phone number is now almost “public” as a lot of patients call for advice. In many cases, they were panicked about testing positive, but after being consulted, they all calmed down, became cooperative and recovered quickly, without having to go to the hospital.

After 29 years of dedication to the healthcare career, you are still full of passion and enthusiasm for your work, especially in the two years of Covid-19 with considerable pressure. What has motivated you and health workers so much?

To be honest, during the outbreaks, many death scenes from China, Italy, the US, India, and other areas left great psychological impacts on me and health workers. Those painful images reminded us of the task and mission of protecting others at the times the capital and the country needed us. That encouraged me and the CDC staff to fight the battle together, with the goal of not letting our people die like in other countries.

When the pandemic was widespread and caused many deaths in Ho Chi Minh City, we were heartbroken and thought of one thing, which is to prevent fatalities. I always encouraged preventive health workers: “Let’s work hard, make efforts and sacrifices; in return, many people will be saved. If we slack off even a little, many will die; that would be really regrettable.” Therefore, we made great efforts, worked hard day and night for contact tracing, quarantining, and testing.

Indeed, the first days in the quarantine areas were very tough. But we received great encouragement from the community, which gave us more strength and hope in the most challenging times of the pandemic.

Dr. La Thi Lan, on behalf of Hanoi CDC, gifts pediatric patients at Soc Son General Hospital and with HIV/AIDS prevention to delegates on World AIDS Day (December 1) events.

Hanoi’s successful pandemic prevention and control mission was partly thanks to great contributions of the healthcare staff, especially health officials. In your opinion, in the current Covid-19 situation, what should we take notice of?

I think Hanoi has the right to be proud of its achievements. We have minimized the number of Covid-19 deaths mainly among the elderly, people with underlying conditions, and the unvaccinated though the number of infections remained high.

However, we can’t breathe a sigh of relief now. Currently, many people are too negligent and let their guard down: thinking once being fully vaccinated, they could gather in crowds at funerals, weddings, parties, meetings. As the current number of infections remains high, it requires all people to be aware of the precautionary measures to avoid the burden on the healthcare system.

With regard to medical expertise, to reduce the mortality rate, our strategy is still good home care, preventing cases from turning severe. And Hanoi has done a good job in home treatment and taking care of hospitalized cases that proved through the reduced number of fatalities.

Thank you for your time!