Current situation of health quarantine activities at International Health Quarantine Center Lao Cai and Kim Thanh, Lao Cai Province and some related factors, 2017-2019

Abstract

A cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at Lao Cai and Kim Thanh international border gates in Lao Cai province from 2017 to 2019. The study aimed to describe assess the status of medical quarantine activities for human, vehicles, goods entered and exited through these two border gates and some related factors. The results showed that the number of people entering through Lao Cai border gate was higher than Kim Thanh border gate (90 thousand arrivals/ year compared to 75 thousand arrivals/year). In contrast, most vehicles and goods entering through Kim Thanh border gate were mainly (about 33 thousand) while at Lao Cai border gate only 66 trips in 3 years. Factors affecting quarantine activities included insufcient human resources, limited qualifcations and inadequate facilities and equipment, especially limited capacity for testing. The study proposes to add more human resources, pay attention to continuously train quarantine staff, invest in standard laboratories to quickly perform necessary tests. In addition, it is necessary to invest in more facilities and equipment to better
serve the prevention of epidemics entering Vietnam.