Strikes in the front line
As Deputy Head in charge of the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control (Dak Lak Provincial Center for Disease Control), Dr. Long has worked in the industry for more than 27 years.
He is one of the experienced and senior citizens in the field of preventive medicine in the locality.
In 2020, when the COVID-19 epidemic broke out, Dr. Long was one of the first medical staff to contact patients who brought pathogens from other provinces.
He and his teammates quietly monitored, isolated, took samples for testing and handled the outbreak promptly. In those days, Dr. Long and his colleagues had almost no concept of time, only knowing that if there were new infections, they would still have to leave.
"Every time we discover a case, regardless of day or night, we immediately trace F1, F2... Many times the whole team has to be quarantined for a long time, sometimes for a whole month without being able to return home," Dr. Long recalled.
Not only the COVID-19 epidemic, over the past 5 years, Dak Lak has also faced dengue fever, measles, hand, foot and mouth disease... Each epidemic is a race against time.
In remote areas, dangerous roads, Dr. Long and his colleagues still persistently go to the site to completely handle the outbreak. But the biggest challenge is not the terrain but the hesitation, even refusal to vaccinate ethnic minorities.
"There are families who have to be convinced up to six times to get their children vaccinated. The epidemic is not waiting for anyone, so if we do not exercise patiently, the consequences will be unpredictable," Dr. Long shared.
Nguyen continues to contribute
According to Mr. Hoang Hai Phuc - Director of the Dak Lak Provincial Center for Disease Control, Dr. Long is the most dedicated and responsible person for his work.
Although in a management position, he still directly goes to the grassroots, enthusiastically guiding local health workers in disease prevention and control.
"People like Dr. Long are " rare" in the preventive medicine industry. Because Dak Lak province is large, with difficult roads, it really needs people with experience, courage, and readiness to take the exam like Dr. Long," said Mr. Phuc.
The Dak Lak Provincial Center for Disease Control always encourages the younger generation to study mentally and professionally from Dr. Long. Young doctors need to practice courage, not afraid of hardship, and be ready to go to hot spots to coordinate to suppress the epidemic quickly.
Although he is nearly 50 years old, Dr. Long still wants to continue to contribute and pass on experience to the next generation. For him, preventive medicine is a arduous but extremely meaningful journey.
"We have to face danger, come into direct contact with many toxic chemicals, be first to be present at the outbreak... Many colleagues have unfortunately contracted the disease, spreading it to their families.
Therefore, I always wholeheartedly share knowledge and experience so that young doctors can be more steadfast on the path they have chosen. I just hope Dak Lak has more enthusiastic young people, committed to the health of the community", Dr. Long confided.
