On the morning of July 1st, after taking medicine, H.D (9 years old, Dong Thap) excitedly went to the campus of Children's Hospital 1 (HCMC) to participate in reading activities with other sick children. Enthusiastically flipping through each page of the book, she hopes there will be more meaningful programs like this during her treatment.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Oanh (Dong Thap) - the aunt of patient H.D, the baby was hospitalized for treatment for 4 days and is expected to be discharged in the afternoon of July 1. She said that from the morning, baby D continuously wanted to go down to the program area because he really liked reading activities.
Not only H.D, many pediatric patients being treated at Children's Hospital 1 are also excited to participate in reading books, drawing and socializing in the space arranged right in the hospital grounds.
This is an activity within the program "Books in Hand - Love Stays", belonging to the series of activities "Ho Chi Minh City Children's Book Fair 6th time in 2026", organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports in coordination with Children's Hospital 1 and units on July 1.
At the program, the organizers presented nearly 700 books to reading spaces at the hospital, and at the same time, presented many gifts to care for pediatric patients being treated.
Speaking at the program, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoi - Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, said that in the context of rapid technological development, both patients and their families are heavily affected by cyberspace. Although the digital environment brings a lot of useful information, most of the content today still tends to be entertainment and has a short duration.
According to Mr. Hoi, in the strategy of developing cultural spaces associated with the cultural industry that the Department is proposing to the city, one of the goals is to develop cultural spaces associated with people.
Developing reading culture at the hospital will contribute to improving the spiritual life of pediatric patients and their families, supporting the treatment process. At the same time, helping children and their families to partially heal the pressures and difficulties during their hospital stay.
Dr. Ngo Ngoc Quang Minh - Director of Children's Hospital 1 said that the donated books are meaningful spiritual gifts for pediatric patients, even though they are in the process of treatment and have times when their health is not stable.
Over the years, in addition to bookshelves supported by companion units, the hospital has also proactively built bookshelves in many departments and rooms and organized charity classes for pediatric patients, especially those who are treated for a long time or have chronic diseases. These activities contribute to compensating for the time the children have to temporarily stop going to school due to treatment.
The activity of donating nearly 700 books to pediatric patients being treated today is a valuable spiritual gift. This will be a source of encouragement for the hospital to have more conditions to care for the spiritual life of the children throughout the treatment process" - Dr. Minh emphasized.
