The journey back from the lost path
This is a place of tolerance for the less fortunate who are fighting the disease every day. Here, HIV patients - many of whom have progressed to AIDS with complex co-morbidities - find hope, faith and a "way back" for life.
The doctors, nurses, family members and patients here all share a simple dream: Peace of mind and well-being in life. However, to achieve that, they must overcome countless challenges, pain and struggles.
Associate Professor, Dr. Do Duy Cuong, Director of the Center for Tropical Diseases, is a leading expert in infectious diseases. Dr. Cuong not only brings extensive medical knowledge but also inspires his patients to live strongly.
In 2008, while researching HIV in Sweden, he witnessed the Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded to the scientists who discovered the HIV virus - a moment that evoked in him a strong sense of responsibility. Returning to Vietnam, he started building the HIV Outpatient Clinic at Bach Mai Hospital, where over the past 15 years, he has helped thousands of patients cross the line of despair to find the light of life again.
One of the stories that touched our hearts was about Mr. L and Ms. P, childhood friends in the suburbs of Hanoi. They loved each other for 10 years, and were preparing to get married in 1999 when they discovered that they were both HIV positive - Mr. L from drug use, and Ms. P from him. Despite their despair, they decided to build a home together, keeping the heartbreaking secret from their families.
In the first years of living with the disease, they experienced days of torment, haunted by social stigma and the fear of imminent death. Having thought about giving up their lives through a failed suicide attempt, they realized: "I want to die but God has not let me die, so I have to live better."
In 2007, they were fortunate to meet Dr. Cuong and receive ARV treatment. Despite the difficult journey with co-morbidities such as hepatitis C and drug allergies, both of them persevered in the fight thanks to the dedication of the doctors. Now, after more than 20 years, they have not only regained their health but also reintegrated into society, living a decent and happy life.
They confided in us: Doctor Cuong is not only a life-saver, an elder brother who guides us from the abyss of loneliness back to life, but also a teacher who teaches us to rise up to live a decent, dignified life, to overcome our inferiority complex and fear, to integrate into the community, to love, to share, to know what kindness and compassion are between people. We cherish every day of our lives, every memory with the doctors.
The 62-year-old male patient from the midland countryside, a simple farmer, unexpectedly carried the HIV virus for a long time without knowing it. On October 21, 2024, he went to the Center for Tropical Diseases for examination in a state of prolonged high fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, exhaustion and pustules scattered all over his body.
Regarding epidemiology, he admitted to having had unsafe sex with prostitutes many times about 10 years ago but had never been tested for HIV. After taking his medical history, examining him and doing tests, doctors at the Center diagnosed him with advanced HIV (newly discovered).
However, after nearly a month of intensive treatment at the General Infection Department, the patient's condition improved significantly: no fever, stable hemodynamics, regular heart rate, good lung ventilation, skin lesions recovered, and digestive function returned to normal. He was discharged and transferred to the Central Lung Hospital for continued tuberculosis treatment and monitoring.
This patient's story is just one of countless HIV-infected people screened, diagnosed and actively treated at the Center for Tropical Diseases.
Each patient has a life with its own feelings, from sorrow, pain, regret to despair, even anger. Some people get HIV through drugs, prostitution, some make a mistake due to subjectivity, some get infected from their spouse, sexual partner, or from mother to child.
For many, the Tropical Disease Center is not only a place for treatment, but also a place where they find hope, will to live and love – a second home in the midst of a challenging journey facing the disease.
HIV infection is not the end
The Tropical Disease Center - Bach Mai Hospital is not only a place for treatment but also a "second home" for many HIV patients. With the slogan "Treatment and care for patients with all the heart", the team of doctors and nurses has made constant efforts, bringing life opportunities and faith to thousands of people. The team of doctors and nurses at the Tropical Disease Center not only treats diseases but also provides spiritual support for patients.
People with HIV fall into despair, depression, many do not want to live anymore, we have to encourage and share a lot, monitor their condition very closely, sympathize with their difficult situation. Although the work is very hard, there is a lot of pressure, stress is always present, but everyone from doctors to nurses try very hard, always wholeheartedly devoted to the patients, both treating physical illness and mental illness so that the patients can feel secure and return to life, work and family, without feeling guilty, without inferiority, strong to continue living in a steady and useful way.
Each story here is a touching epic of perseverance and hope. HIV is not the end. With medical advances and compassion, "ways back" are always open, so that patients can find a more fulfilling life with every breath.
December 1 is World AIDS Day. This is an international day held annually to raise public awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of the HIV virus, and to remember those who have died from the disease. This day is also an opportunity for organizations and individuals around the world to show solidarity in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
