During the holiday season, Viet Duc Hospital experienced a surge in emergency cases, with over 700 patients visiting the emergency room. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hoa, the Head of Emergency Room Duty on May 1, mentioned that the number of patients doubled compared to normal days, with an average of 150 emergency cases daily.
Dr. Hoa highlighted the diverse nature of injury cases from traffic accidents, including traumatic brain injuries, abdominal and chest injuries, broken limbs, and multiple injuries. For example, a 39-year-old male taxi driver crashed into an electric pole and sustained a coma and multiple injuries. Another patient was a female who was hit by a motorbike while exercising and sustained a closed chest injury, grade 3 liver damage, and a wrist injury.
In addition to traffic accidents, many patients were also hospitalized due to daily life accidents and occupational accidents. For instance, a 43-year-old male plastic worker had his foot trapped in a molding machine and had to undergo amputation surgery. To handle the surge in emergency cases, Viet Duc Hospital organized an emergency surgery tour with 25-30 doctors and nurses during the holiday season.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, there were 347 traffic accidents nationwide during the holiday season, resulting in 138 deaths and 285 injuries. This marked an increase in the number of accidents compared to the same holiday period in 2023 but decreased compared to previous years due to stricter enforcement of traffic laws. The hospital staff worked continuously to provide care for the large number of hospitalized patients and ensure timely treatment for all injured individuals.
Viet Duc Hospital received more than half of its emergency cases during this holiday season related to traffic accidents that were mostly alcohol-related incidents. Dr. Hoa emphasized that it is crucial for drivers to prioritize their safety by adhering to traffic rules and regulations while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
To address this issue furthermore Viet Duc Hospital launched awareness campaigns about road safety during holidays which includes educating people about safe driving habits such as wearing helmets while riding motorbikes or bicycles; keeping children safe while crossing roads; avoiding drunk driving; using seatbelts; following speed limits; stopping at stop signs; obeying pedestrian crossings; reporting reckless drivers; not using handheld devices while driving; not using mobile phones or texting while driving.
With these efforts from hospitals like Viet Duc Hospital combined with government regulations such as increased patrols on highways during peak travel times and stricter enforcement of drunk driving laws can help reduce road fatalities during holidays seasons.
