HCM City honours individuals for COVID-19 fighting

HCM City (VNS/VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City’s Party Committee has honoured 233 outstanding individuals for their excellence in studying and following President Ho Chi Minh’s thought, morality and lifestyle, particularly their efforts in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Dr Tran Chanh Xuan, deputy director of Cu Chi district hospital in the city’s outlying area, was one of the outstanding models. 

Xuan helped develop advanced techniques in traumatology and orthopaedics so that patients could be treated at the hospital instead of being transferred to city-level hospitals.

In November 2016, Xuan and his colleagues performed a high-tech total hip replacement surgery on a male patient with hip osteoarthritis due to complications from a traffic accident years ago. Since then, the doctors have performed hundreds of hi-tech surgeries on patients living in the district.

Dr Ho Hai Truong Giang, the hospital’s director, said: “In the past, patients who suffered from severe conditions relating to trauma and orthopaedics were transferred to People’s Hospital 115 and others. We are confident that we perform these surgeries well.”

Xuan added: “I want residents in the city’s outlying districts to be able to access high-tech healthcare services. This helps patients to reduce costs for treatment and time for travel.”  

Xuan is one of 30 doctors and nurses at the hospital to volunteer to work at the Cu Chi hospital to treat COVID-19 patients.

The municipal Department of Health assigned Xuan to be deputy director of the Cu Chi hospital because of his expertise and prestige.

Dr Kim Phuc Thanh, head of the general planning division at Thu Duc district hospital in the city’s outlying area, is another outstanding individual honoured for excellence in studying and following President Ho Chi Minh’s thought, morality and lifestyle.

Thanh, 35, has 12 years of experiences and is trusted by the hospital’s leaders and colleagues.

The hospital sees 6,000-7,000 patients every day, requiring its health staff to work hard to meet demand and not make mistakes.

Besides tasks at the hospital, Dr Thanh is known for his participation in charity health examination and treatment programmes.  

“People in remote areas in the country cannot access healthcare services provided by hospitals. We give priority to them in the charity health examination and treatment programmes,” Thanh said.

When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the Can Gio COVID-19 treatment hospital was set up by the Department of Health. Thanh was assigned to become head of the hospital’s general planning division.

Thanh saw that residents living on Can Gio Island had problems accessing healthcare services. He spoke with the leader of Thu Duc hospital about improving the quality of Can Gio District Health Centre.

Thanh volunteered to provide technical assistance to the centre’s doctors and nurses, which improved residents' access to healthcare services.

Dr Nguyen Ngoc Sang, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union at Cho Ray hospital, was honoured for his achievement in working for charity health examination and treatment programmes in the city and areas near border gates and islands nationwide.

Sang is one of the doctors treating COVID-19 patients at the hospital.

Speaking at the ceremony last week, Secretary of the Party Committee, Nguyen Thien Nhan said that the honorees' "useful work" helped people's lives. He said they were "enterprising people" who have shown silent dedication to the city's development./.