QUANG NINH: The northern province of Quang Ninh has officially deployed round-the-clock medical teams on Hạ Long Bay starting Thursday (April 2) to provide immediate first aid and handle health emergencies for tourists.
The initiative is the latest effort by local authorities to enhance service quality and ensure safety at the Unesco-recognised Hạ Long Bay, especially as newly expanded sightseeing routes attract increasing numbers of visitors.
On the first day of deployment, the Quang Ninh Emergency Transport Centre stationed a medical team on Ti Top Island, one of the bay’s key tourist stops. The team is equipped with specialised equipment suitable for maritime and island conditions, including portable ventilators, patient monitoring devices, floating stretchers, and essential medicines.
The local health sector has also established coordination procedures with mainland hospitals to ensure emergency patients can be transferred as quickly as possible when necessary.
Notably, from April 1, sightseeing routes between Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay in Hai Phòng have officially reopened, allowing tourists to travel seamlessly between the two heritage areas. The increased flow of vessels and overnight visitors has required corresponding upgrades in safety and medical response measures.
According to Dang Tien Dung of the Quang Ninh 115 Emergency Transport Centre, the unit will continue organising training courses to improve staff capacity in handling incidents typical of coastal tourism, such as drowning, heatstroke, and maritime accidents.
Meanwhile, the Ha Long Bay – Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board has requested that all tourist boats inspect and replenish their onboard medical kits to ensure adequate first aid capability before specialised medical teams arrive.
The move is expected not only to reinforce the professionalism of Quang Ninh’s tourism sector but also to maintain Ha Long Bay’s reputation as one of the safest and most welcoming destinations on the global tourism map. — Vietnam News/ANN
