On September 19, 2016 the Ministry of Health issued the Circular No. 33/2016/TT-BYT providing for organization and performance of microorganism tests in hospitals.
In accordance with this Circular, the Department of Microbiology is a specialized department subject to the direct management of the Hospital’s Director. Department of Microbiology is functioned to perform testing techniques to identify disease-causing organisms, including bacteria, viruses and parasites, according to specialty and technique-based assigned, and to provide advice to the Hospital’s Director about all microorganism testing activities performed in the hospital for the purposes of improving the quality of medical diagnosis and monitoring medical treatment results.
Department of Microbiology is arranged separately or within the testing area to facilitate its professional activities provided that the following requirements must be satisfied the conditions such as department rooms must be suitably arranged according to one-way rule in order to ensure professional activities and bio-safety as well as prevent the contamination; places for receiving patient specimens and disinfection must be available; restroom and bathroom must have enough clean water and hot water to serve the wash and disinfection of persons who work in department of microbiology before they leave there; an area for receiving and performing emergency tests must be also available.
Laboratories must be designed and built in conformity with standards providing for bio-safety in laboratories. Personnel protective equipment must be sufficiently provided to persons working in laboratories. Employees must be provided with training in the use and operation of medical machinery and equipment for ensuring safety. Employees must be careful when contacting with biological products which are prone to communicate diseases, and strictly abide by regulations on bio-safety and bacterial contamination control in hospital. All employees working in department must go for periodical check-up. Employees must be trained for response to laboratory accidents….
This Circular takes effect on November 03, 2016.
