The first doctor in the drug hotpot
In spring, when the mustard gardens bloom in yellow on the winding roads, crossing the mountainside, we (PV) go to Long Luong commune, Van Ho district. The warm handshake of the head of the health station after examining the people has dispelled the permeable cold of the Northwest spring.
Holding a cup of hot tea in the midst of the fog, Mr. Giang A Tang - Head of Long Luong Commune Health Station, Van Ho District, Son La Province - a H'Mong person, slowly said: "I was born and raised in a poor village, more than anyone else, I understand the suffering of my compatriots when I do not have access to healthcare. Witnessing many relatives and neighbors losing their lives due to illness, I cherished the dream of becoming a doctor to help people.
Above all, my father, a veteran nurse, was the head of the health station from 1986 to 2016. Although he only has a nursing degree, he is respected for his solid skills. He personally inspired me to follow the medical industry with the mentality of "growing bamboo shoots", and that someone should stay and take care of the people".
Graduated from Son La Medical College in 2007, Dr. Tang has been with the Commune Health Station since 2008. In 2012, he decided to take the entrance exam to Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy to become a general practitioner.
His difficult academic career, when his allowances were low, he had to study on his own by collecting exam questions from 10 years ago to review. His perseverance was rewarded with a doctorate, becoming the pride of his family and the village.
Bringing light on trust in grassroots health care
In Long Luong, about 30% of initial medical examinations and treatments and birth control are performed at health stations.
Recalling unforgettable memories, Dr. Tang said: "In 2022, a mother in Su Bon village, about 33 years old, was pregnant for the fourth time. When there were signs of labor at home, she was taken to the health station. At 5pm, I checked and found that the cervix had completely opened, the pulse had naturally broken but the fetus had not yet caught fire.
After implementing the measures but still unsuccessfully, I decided to transfer the route to the mother, but no vehicle was taken."
In a life-and-death moment, luckily a 1.5-ton truck driver agreed to help. The station mobilized all medicine, medical supplies and three medical staff to go with it to ensure the safety of the mother and child.
"When I arrived at Van Ho gas station, the mother was in so much pain that I could not wait any longer, so I was forced to give birth right on the trunk of the vehicle in a state of adequate shortage" - the station head recalled.
Under the burning flashlight, amidst the fog, a child cried and cried in the Northwest mountains and forests.
Once again, a pregnant woman went to the health station late at night. The family did not have money, so they planned to borrow his wife and then hospitalize her. But I decided to keep the pregnant woman because if I continued, I might not be able to keep up. And right at the health station, the doctor successfully gave birth to two children in the middle of the night.
Along with the doctors working in the highlands, that H'Mong doctor is still tirelessly asking for a new ultrasound machine, still quietly working overtime to help the poor. He chose to plant the village, chose to sacrifice so that the medical light would never go out in the Northwestern villages.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Luong Duy Phu - Director of Van Ho District Medical Center - said that Dr. Giang A Tang and many doctors in the highlands have devoted their youth, dedication, perseverance and responsibility to helping to significantly improve the health of people in the area.
"They are not only doctors, but also brothers and friends of ethnic minorities, bringing confidence in grassroots health care" - Mr. Phu said.
According to the leader of Van Ho District Medical Center, recently, thanks to his tireless contributions and efforts, Dr. Giang A Tang has received a certificate of merit from the Minister of Health for his outstanding achievements in the emulation movement "The medical industry has 70 years of following Uncle Ho's teachings".
