The Vietnam Association of Maritime Medicine (VAMM) has exerted effortsto realise the government’s strategy on developing health care systemat sea and islands, said a leader of the association.

It has focused on conducting researches on maritime medicine andtraining doctors specialising in the field, said Prof. Dr. Nguyen TruongSon, VAMM Chairman at a conference on October 11 in the northern portcity of Hai Phong , which sought to better the association’s role inrunning health care systems at sea and islands.

Atthe same time, the association has also given attention to enhancing thecapacity of medical workers aboard vessels, in particular first-aidskills, he noted.

It has also consulted localgovernments in coastal localities on how to implement the medicaldevelopment strategy and raise public awareness of maritime medicine tothe utmost, he said.

According to Dr. Pham Le Tuan,Deputy Health Minister, the application of land health care systems toVietnam ’s sea and island areas has proved not to be suitable.

Meanwhile, the capacity of health care stations in maritime areas isstill limited and there is a lack of assets aiding emergency service atsea, he noted.

Dr. Tuan briefed the participants onthe contents and results of the Government’s project 371 on developingmaritime health care system till 2020.

The projectaims at stronger State management over maritime medicine, upgradedhealth care stations and expanded network of telemedicine centres athospitals in six coastal localities.

He urged 28coastal cities and provinces to speed up the issuance of healthinsurance for fishermen in order to better implement the project.-VNA