Belief in doctors
The ICU department of Can Tho City Children's Hospital in the last days of June 2026 is always on duty non-stop. Because the pressure of severe cases at the final level of pediatrics in the Mekong Delta region (Mekong Delta) always weighs heavily on the shoulders of each doctor and nurse.
Stepping out of the hospital room with eyes still not out of tension, Dr. Phan Nhat Khuong - Deputy Head of the ICU Department, Children's Hospital of Can Tho City, confided that in recent weeks, the department has continuously received and treated about 10 severe cases each day. Among them, some babies are only 3-4 months old, their bodies are still too weak, while the disease is complex, requiring the team to closely monitor for 20-30 minutes/time, continuously taking care of them 24/24 hours. Every second in the shift is a "battle"; a changing vitality index also forces the team to handle it immediately.
Just setting foot in the hospital room, I was stunned to watch the medical team focusing on treating a child with hand, foot and mouth disease with severe convulsions. In addition to professional care, they had to gently fix the four limbs of the baby over 6 months old to the bed frame. Each gauze knot was adjusted just right, skillfully to both keep him and ensure he does not scratch and break the blisters, causing infection.
When his child passed the critical condition, Mr. Nguyen Minh Trieu (from Vinh Long province) still choked up: "The doctors at the ICU Department examined him in time, were on duty to take care of him day and night to closely monitor every little detail. I took care of my child here for a few days, listening to the continuous "bip bip" sound was already haunting, yet they had to strain their brains to take care of so many cases, not knowing how much pressure it was.
What warmed the father's heart the most was that even in moments of extreme stress, doctors and nurses still always gave the family words of concern and thoughtful explanations in the most calm tone to reassure and help parents stabilize their psychology. Taking advantage of a short break, a female nurse shared: "I myself also have young children, so I understand my parents' feelings. Every time I finish a case, I take the opportunity to chat and remind them to ease some of my family's fears.
The Resurrection War
Taking care of "decades of life and death" cases, many brothers and sisters working at the ICU Department confided in me about having to train themselves in a cool head, accuracy in every detail and a steel spirit to face the harsh laws of human life.
In the early stages of witnessing the losses, I was heartbroken and unable to bear it, even haunted even in my sleep. But then I understood that if I collapsed, I would not be able to concentrate highly to fight for the lives of the remaining patients and those who are about to be brought here," a doctor (requesting anonymity) working at the ICU Department, Can Tho Central General Hospital confided.
I remember in July 2023, I also had the opportunity to come to the ICU Department of this hospital to record the situation of treatment blood shortage (this is a challenging period for the Can Tho City health sector due to problems in purchasing medical supplies). Witnessing the case of being bitten by a red-tailed green pit viper leading to blood clotting disorders and severe platelet reduction, I fully understood the doctor's impatience.
At that time, Specialist Doctor II Duong Thien Phuoc - Head of the ICU Department, Can Tho Central General Hospital - pondered: "Facing the treatment of severe patients is no longer a strange thing to us. However, having to wait for each unit of blood to save patients from critical condition makes everyone in the team nervous and heartbroken.
In May 2026, I had the opportunity to return to this unit. Doctor Phuoc frankly told me about cases of pesticide suicide being transferred to the department. Taking care of these cases puts heavy mental pressure on medical staff, because these are patients who once gave up their lives. Here, doctors and nurses have to both persistently treat and use sincerity to awaken the desire to live in a desperate soul.
The joy of revival
And at the ICU Department of Can Tho General Hospital, when the number of seriously ill patients increases, it is also the time when the team of doctors and nurses must work at full capacity to cope with the risk of patients becoming seriously ill at any time. When asked about the motivation to cling to that pressure, Dr. Huynh Hue Han's eyes lit up with pride: "We always try to encourage each other to be on duty and do everything possible to help patients recover their health as soon as possible and in the safest way.
In general, no matter how much work pressure the future faces, people working at ICU departments in the Mekong Delta still express their passion for work, striving to overcome difficulties and bring health to the people.
Every time I leave the ICU Departments, no matter what time it is, my heart always rises with deep admiration for the doctors and nurses. Writing about the white-shirted soldiers at the front lines of the ICU is also a way for writers like us to express gratitude for our silent contributions. For myself, I have never stopped to be proud of journalism and more than that, the honor of being in the ranks of Lao Dong Newspaper. That is a valuable job, giving me the privilege of being a witness, of being listened to and continuing to tell stories about the sweat drops in all professions to readers.
