Helping thousands of infertile couples
Professor, Doctor Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, affectionately known as " Ma Phuong", is one of the pioneers who laid the foundation for in vitro fertilization (TTON) in Vietnam. This project not only helps millions of children give birth healthy but also brings endless happiness to infertile families.
Sharing about this journey, Professor Phuong was moved when thinking about the thousands of infertile couples that she and her colleagues have supported and diagnosed in their journey to find children.
In 1994, Professor Phuong had the opportunity to teach at Nice Sophia Antipolis University of Medicine (France) for 12 months. Here, she witnessed experts implementing TTON and realized that this technique can be completely implemented in Vietnam if properly trained.
With strong confidence, Professor Phuong has taken 17,000 francs/month from his teaching salary to import machinery from France to Vietnam, bringing "new breath" to the obstetrics industry and a ray of hope to infertile couples.
She presented the plan to implement TTON to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, the City People's Committee, and the Ministry of Health. After Dr. Ngoc Phuong's convincing explanation, everyone agreed and signed the plan.
With strict and clear legal procedures, the team of doctors is also sent abroad to study. In 1997, a group of French experts came to support the first TTON at Tu Du Hospital. Professor Phuong plays an important role as a bridge between French experts and infertile couples, and directly participates in stages such as ovarian stimulation, egg sucking...
Accompanying, continuing the TTON journey is the daughter of Professor Ngoc Phuong - Assoc.Prof.Dr. Vuong Thi Ngoc Lan - Vice Rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy added: “In the 1998 years, in vitro fertilization is an extremely strange thing in Vietnam. Very few supporters because they think that the baby born in the test tube will develop in abnormal, deformities. Two clogged fallopian tubes.
After many difficulties and challenges, on April 30, 1998, the first three injected fertilized babies in Vietnam were born at Tu Du Hospital, marking a major turning point in Vietnamese medicine. Since then, after 27 years, from a TTON Center at Tu Du Hospital, many centers have been opened nationwide, bringing happiness to millions of infertile and infertile families.
Multi-talented doctor of tongue cancer patient
Witnessing the pain and exhaustion of the patient, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Anh Khoi, Head of the Department of Surgery, Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery of Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital and lecturer at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, have devoted themselves to researching and learning to find effective treatment methods. His project "Restoring almost all and all of the tongue after surgery to treat cancer" was honored by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee in 2024.
Doctor Khoi shared that the fact that cancer patients can speak and swallow is a great motivation for doctors. His tongue reconstruction method uses skin and muscles from body areas such as the abdomen, thighs, or hands to create a new tongue shape, depending on the patient's physical condition. The goal is not only to restore the function of the tongue but also to ensure aesthetics.
We always choose under-neck surgery, keeping the jaw bones intact so that patients can live and integrate with society without anyone realizing they have had surgery, Dr. Khoi shared.
Starting research in 2011, Dr. Khoi has studied on his own through books, documents, and exchanged with international professors. He is always persistent and successful in performing difficult surgeries. "Each surgery lasts 13 hours, I have to perform all stages myself, from cutting the tumor to shaping a new tongue," Dr. Khoi recalled.
Since 2017, this method has been widely applied, helping hundreds of patients. Currently, in Dr. Khoi's department, there are 8 doctors who are proficient in micro-surgical techniques. The surgery time was significantly shortened, to only 4-5 hours thanks to dividing the stage for the crew, about 60% of patients were able to return to normal life. This not only helps reduce treatment costs but also brings early treatment opportunities to many patients.
Ho Chi Minh City Health Department strives for patients
The Ho Chi Minh City health sector has made remarkable progress over the past 50 years. Thanks to the development of high-level, in-depth techniques and the construction of modern infrastructure, the city's health sector has increasingly better met the needs of medical examination and treatment of the people.
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Tang Chi Thuong, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, said that Covid-19 epidemic did not weaken the health system as forecasted, but on the contrary, helped the city's health system recover rapidly and develop sustainably. The city has completed many new hospital buildings, renovated and upgraded medical facilities, including large hospitals such as Ho Chi Minh City Children's Hospital, Hematology Hematology Hospital. Emergency Center project 115, injury hospital will also be started in 2025. Besides, Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University will be completed by 2025.
Hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City have strived to achieve international certifications of quality and expertise, with the goal of making Ho Chi Minh City a health care center in the ASEAN region. Hospitals such as People's Hospital 115, Tu Du, Children's Hospital 1, etc. have been recognized in areas such as stroke, assisted reproduction, and heart surgery.
In particular, Hematology and Blood Transfusion Hospital, Hung Vuong Hospital has just received international certification JCI and ACHS, marking a big step forward in the quality of health care.
In 2025, it was a special year for the health sector in Ho Chi Minh City, when the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025) and 70 years of Vietnamese physician's day. The health sector of Ho Chi Minh City has implemented 7 typical programs and works to celebrate this important event, confirming the relentless efforts of the industry throughout the development journey.
