VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Health has reported that at least 14 medical workers had been assaulted since the beginning of 2013.

"Medical workers have been assaulted at major medical institutes, which often deal with a large number of patients," said Tran Duc Long, an official from the ministry.

The killing of a doctor at the Vu Thu General Hospital in Thai Binh Province in August 2011 shocked the country, but since then, attacks on medical staff have continued.

Recent incidents have occurred at Thanh Nhan, Bach Mai and Ha Tinh general hospitals, that resulted serious injuries to several medical workers.

Nguyen Trong Khoa, deputy head of the Medical Services Administration, said there was a number of factors that contributed to violent attacks at medical institutes across the country, such as a lack of security and inadequate punishments for assailants.

On the other hand, medical workers needed to improve their professionalism and manner while dealing with patients and their families.

"The first solution is for doctors to reflect on their own behaviour and manner. We are treating patients, not just diseases. Doctors tend to think they are doing patients a favour. We must see them as our customers and they must be treated with respect and kindness," said the deputy head.

"Medical workers often face enormous pressure in their jobs. Accidents, mistakes and complications can happen anytime and anywhere, not just in Viet Nam," said Dr Tran Quy, former director of Bach Mai General.

Although there were no statistics to show how many fatalities were due to medical errors, attacking staff in a blind rage was wrong, said Quy.

Medical workers needed to excel in their professional fields and attend training courses to improve their communication skills and comfort patients and their families, according to experts at the conference.

Hospitals also needed to upgrade security measures, build fast response teams and co-operate with local police to respond to violent assaults.

The report was released in a conference titled "Protection for medical workers and say no to violence in medical institutes", co-organised by the Ministry of Health and the Lao Dong (Labour) newspapers last week.

VNS/VNN