Vietnam Minister Asks Health Workers to Improve Behavior toward Patients

Health workers in Vietnam need to improve their behavior toward patients, respecting them and offering help for them when necessary, said Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien. “Health workers should say thanks to their patients, deal with them gently, send them regards, and be ready to assist them,” said Minister Tien during an online conference with the participation of the representatives of about 700 hospitals across the country on April 22. Three years ago, the ministry also initiated a similar campaign to improve the professional ethics and service attitude of health workers when taking care of their patients. However, that campaign has yet to yield good results as expected, according to the ministry. During the event, Tien announced a plan to change the color of the uniforms of health workers to avoid confusion. She elaborated that white will be for doctors and blue for nurses, adding that employees in administrative sections should wear uniforms having a color that makes them look dynamic. The healthcare is one of sectors in Vietnam which accumulate critics from local residents due to rampant corruption and bad behavior toward patients and their relatives. (Tuoi Tre – Youth Apr 23)