A doctor treats a boy at the Vietnam-Cuba Hospital's Paediatrics Department. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Prolonged hot weather with average temperatures ofabout 40 degree Celsius across the country in recent days have led to healthproblems.
Tran Quang Thang, head of the Emergency Aid and Stroke Ward under the NationalGeriatric Hospital, said the rate of elderly people having health examinationsat the hospital in June increased by 150 percent compared with May.
On average, 30-40 people have been hospitalised per day due to reasons relatedto hot weather, with many of them in critical condition, he said.
Thang said the elderly could easily have problems in hot weather because theirability to adapt to the weather was weak.
Many have underlying diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and high bloodpressure, so hot weather put them at risk.
At the Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital, Dao Viet Phuong, a doctor from theEmergency Ward, said each day the ward received dozens of patients sufferingfrom temperature shock or strokes. Most of them had worked outside or wereelderly people with underlying conditions.
A similar situation happened at Saint Paul Hospital in Hanoi.
The number of children going in for health examinations this month hadincreased by 30 percent compared with last month.
Doctors at the hospital said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students mustgo to school instead of having a summer holiday like in previous years. Many ofthem have lessons in the afternoon, which means they must go to school in theheat of the day.
Dermatology
Dang Bich Diep, head of the Social Work Ward under the National Hospital ofDermatology and Venereology, warned that hot weather with ultraviolet (UV) raysat high levels could cause great harm to people’s skin, however, not everyoneknows how to protect it properly.
UV rays can cause sunburn, harm the skin’s cells and gradually lead to skincancer.
The time that UV rays cause the most harm is between 10am to 2pm, so peopleshould avoid going out at that time, she said.
The hospital has treated many people suffering from sunburns, most of thempeople who had to work in the sun.
The patients would need several weeks to recover and serious skin pains couldlead to other side effects, said Diep.
Diep warned that patients should be vigilant, not treat themselves and must goto the hospital for instruction from doctors.
To protect the skin, people should apply sun cream three times per day, andapply it about 20 minutes before going out.
If the sunlight is severe, the people should choose sun cream with a high sunprotection factor (SPF). For instance, when going to the beach, sun cream withSPF 50 should be chosen, said Diep.
Measures
K Hospital, which specialises in treating cancer, has conducted differentmeasures to ease patients’ difficulties while having health examinations duringhot weather days.
Nguyen Ba Tinh, head of the hospital's Welfare Work Ward, said the hospitalreceived more than 2,000 patients for health examinations and treatment per dayand many of them queued up since the early hours.
To reduce the time spent waiting in hot weather, the hospital opened threebranches in Tan Trieu and Tam Hiep communes of Thanh Tri district and in HoanKiem district.
The hospital also operates a drinking water system to serve patients and theirfamilies.
Air conditioners were turned on all day in all treatment rooms so the patientswould feel more comfortable, he said.
More trees had been planted around the hospital and more high-powered fans hadbeen installed in waiting and examination rooms.
Warnings
Doctors advise that the elderly should have regular health checks and mealswith enough nutrition and vitamin, while everyone should drink about two litresof water per day.
If people have to go outside, they should have enough protective clothes andkeep time in the sun to a minimum.
Tran Minh Dien, deputy director of the National Paediatrics Hospital, said ifchildren have high temperatures, parents should bring them to hospital as soonas possible to prevent brain side effects. Children should not go out duringhot days, especially between 10am and 4pm./.
VNA
