The image of doctors in white protective clothes from Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital and HCM City-based Cho Ray Hospital has touched many people when it was posted and shared on social networking sites. (Photo courtesy of Do Duy Cuong) Da Nang (VNS/VNA) - As thousands of tourists fled Da Nang after theCOVID-19 outbreak sprang up in the central city, dozens of leading doctors wentin the opposite direction, towards the danger.
An image of doctors in white protective clothes from Hanoi-based Bach MaiHospital and HCM City-based Cho Ray Hospital in Da Nang Hospital touched manypeople when it was posted and shared on social networking sites on June 28.
“It is a vivid image showing the bravery and silent sacrifices of those on thefront lines of the battle against COVID-19 in our country,” Nguyen Hong Nhung,a 31-year-old, living in Hanoi commented.
Le Hai, a Facebooker, said "They are the real heroes in the heart of thepeople."
Dang Nam, living in Da Nang, who shared the picture and received thousands oflikes, said “We treasure and believe in them. With their support, Da Nang willreturn to be peaceful again soon.”
The photographer was associate Professor Do Duy Cuong, director of NationalHospital of Tropical Diseases under Bach Mai Hospital.
Cuong was one of 30 doctors of Bach Mai Hospital who helped control the spreadof SARS-CoV-2 after two staff of the hospital contracted SARS-CoV-2 late Marchand was dispatched to help Da Nang to fight the pandemic on July 26.
After Vietnam confirmed its 416th patient when a 57-year-old man in Da Nangtested positive for coronavirus without a clear source of infection on July 25,marking the first case of community transmission in Vietnam in 100 days, ActingMinister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long ordered doctors from Bach Mai Hospital andCho Ray Hospital to support Da Nang.
“We received Long’s order at midnight (on July 25) and left for Da Nang veryearly the next morning," Cuong said.
Pham The Thach, Bach Mai Hospital’s deputy head of the Intensive CareDepartment, said when he heard the news of patient 416, he was ready to leavefor Da Nang, thanks to his experience treating patients in intensive care in BachMai Hospital.
“We think the task is both a responsibility and honour,” he said.
“We have a lot of work to do these days in Da Nang, it’s very hard but we havegotten used to the high pressure of work, so it's no problem,” he added.
Da Nang has recorded hundreds of infections cases, with eight deaths. The cityhas put three major hospitals - the General Hospital, the C Hospital andCardiovascular Centre under lockdown.
“We understand the situation. We understand the anxiety of our colleagues inthe three lockdown hospitals. We already experienced the feeling when a nurseof Bach Mai Hospital became the 86th patient in March. We want to help them asmuch as we can," Cuong said.
Cuong said with the supports of Bach Mai Hospital’s doctors, Da Nang wasturning the city’s Lung Hospital into a treatment facility for COVID-19patients.
It would reduce the workload for Da Nang City's three major hospitals that hadbeen locked down, he said.
For an outbreak in a hospital, quarantining scientifically and effectively wasextremely important, he said.
The published list of COVID-19 cases in Da Nang City was mostly the hospitals’patients, patients’ relatives and health workers, showing the central-leveldoctors' advice and support were really timely for Da Nang, he said.
Nguyen Trong Khoa, deputy head of the Department of Medical Examination andTreatment under the Ministry of Health, who also led a team of doctors to help DaNang said: "We will only leave when Da Nang becomes peaceful as usual."
On July 31, Bach Mai Hospital sent a team of psychosocial experts to Da Nang toencourage the medical staff fighting the pandemic.
In the meantime, nine leading doctors of Cho Ray Hospital were sent to Da Nangon July 25. They include three doctors who helped treat Scotsman StephenCameron, or patient 91, who was at one point the country's most seriously illCOVID-19 patient.
Ngo Thi Kim Yen, director of Da Nang City’s Health Department said the city wasreceiving medical support from many hospitals nationwide, especially fromleading doctors who beat back the disease in hotspots like Ha Loi, Son Loi and BachMai.
“They have a lot of experience, so they give us more strength and make doctorsin Da Nang feel less pressure,” she said./.
VNA
