A group of Italian experts will offer free operations to regenerate genitals for nine child patients and give free checkups to 20 others with genital problems at the Da Nang maternity and children’s hospital in central city of Da Nang.

The activities are part of the programme themed “Thien Nhan and his friends”, which was launched four years ago by the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP).

AIP President Greig Craft said the programme organisers made every effort to mobilise donations from the public to cover expenses for the activities.

In the framework of the programme, Dr. Roberto De Castro - a leading Italian expert in genital treatment - and his colleagues will also provide free operations to 32 children in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. As many as 100 others with genital deformities and injuries will be also given free examinations.

On June 16, a workshop updating information on genital surgery for children was also held in the hospital, offering a good chance for Vietnamese and Italian doctors to share experience and transfer technologies in the field.

Speaking at the workshop, De Castro said a centre for examining and treating children with genital problems will be set up in Vietnam in the future.

The idea of the programme was initiated by Craft after he was inspired by the story of Phung Thien Nhan, a young boy with genital problems whose story of overcoming a difficult past after being abandoned by his natural mother and attacked by wild animals inspired the whole nation.

During the last four years, experts from Vietnam, Italy and the US performed free surgeries for 74 disadvantaged youth with genital deformities across the country, bringing new hope to them.-VNA