Ten years ago, ethnic people in the northern province of Ha Giang could only use herbs or seek help from spiritual healers when ill. However, things have changed, particularly in the border Lung Cu commune of Dong Van district.
Lau My Say and Sung Thi Ma married when they were 20 years old. Previously, if any member of their family fell ill, they could only seek treatment from a spiritual healer to cast the diseases away through supposed magic. The word “doctor” was totally strange to them.
However, since a clinic was build nearby, Say and Ma have another option. When Ma became pregnant, the local midwife came to her house to take care of her.
“My belly often hurts me as I am expecting. Before, I used herbs taken from the forest to bandage my belly. Today the midwife said there is something abnormal with the baby, so I will go to Dong Van to see a doctor. I will also deliver my baby there,” said Ma.
Sitting on the peak of Dong Van rocky stone plateau, Lung Cu commune is the north pole of Vietnam . The complicated terrain and harsh weather make it difficult for local people to work for their food, never mind earn enough money for medicine and treatment.
Not long ago, an expectant mother usually gave birth at home without the support of other people. Obstetrical accidents happened frequently.
When the communal midwife model was set up, Vu Thi My was the first one to get training. After 18 months, together with the local medical contributors, she also educated local pregnant women to check their health regularly and deliver at medical stations and support the home deliveries.
“Ethnic women here hesitate to go to see doctor. I usually persuade them to give birth at the medical stations,” My said.
“I said to them that there might be no medicine in case of anything going wrong during a home delivery. Step by step, they understand and agree to go to clinics,” she added.
Thank to a healthcare project for poor commune, Lung Cu’s medical station is now a spacious two-storey building. It is well-equipped with four beds and eight staff rooms.
There are now six people working here, including one doctor, four nurses and one midwife. Therefore, local people are better cared than before.
Nguyen Duy Dong, Deputy Head of the Lung Cu Medical Station, said the station staff come to each household in the commune every month to educate local people about sanitation and food safety.
In spite of the positive changes in the locals’ mindsets, the belief that a woman should have many children is still deeply ingrained.
Meanwhile, the small team of medical workers are not enough to cater the high demand for health care in Dong Van district.
Doctors do not want to work here because of the difficult conditions, Dong said.
Over past years, Ha Giang province has organised numerous health check-up and treatment tours to people in the mountainous areas. Many diseases have been treated and local people now have faith in the medical workers.-VNA
Lau My Say and Sung Thi Ma married when they were 20 years old. Previously, if any member of their family fell ill, they could only seek treatment from a spiritual healer to cast the diseases away through supposed magic. The word “doctor” was totally strange to them.
However, since a clinic was build nearby, Say and Ma have another option. When Ma became pregnant, the local midwife came to her house to take care of her.
“My belly often hurts me as I am expecting. Before, I used herbs taken from the forest to bandage my belly. Today the midwife said there is something abnormal with the baby, so I will go to Dong Van to see a doctor. I will also deliver my baby there,” said Ma.
Sitting on the peak of Dong Van rocky stone plateau, Lung Cu commune is the north pole of Vietnam . The complicated terrain and harsh weather make it difficult for local people to work for their food, never mind earn enough money for medicine and treatment.
Not long ago, an expectant mother usually gave birth at home without the support of other people. Obstetrical accidents happened frequently.
When the communal midwife model was set up, Vu Thi My was the first one to get training. After 18 months, together with the local medical contributors, she also educated local pregnant women to check their health regularly and deliver at medical stations and support the home deliveries.
“Ethnic women here hesitate to go to see doctor. I usually persuade them to give birth at the medical stations,” My said.
“I said to them that there might be no medicine in case of anything going wrong during a home delivery. Step by step, they understand and agree to go to clinics,” she added.
Thank to a healthcare project for poor commune, Lung Cu’s medical station is now a spacious two-storey building. It is well-equipped with four beds and eight staff rooms.
There are now six people working here, including one doctor, four nurses and one midwife. Therefore, local people are better cared than before.
Nguyen Duy Dong, Deputy Head of the Lung Cu Medical Station, said the station staff come to each household in the commune every month to educate local people about sanitation and food safety.
In spite of the positive changes in the locals’ mindsets, the belief that a woman should have many children is still deeply ingrained.
Meanwhile, the small team of medical workers are not enough to cater the high demand for health care in Dong Van district.
Doctors do not want to work here because of the difficult conditions, Dong said.
Over past years, Ha Giang province has organised numerous health check-up and treatment tours to people in the mountainous areas. Many diseases have been treated and local people now have faith in the medical workers.-VNA
