When the heart of a doctor lights up the path of life
No one wants to repeat the horrifying fire at a mini apartment on Khuong Ha Street (Hanoi) more than a year ago. But with Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Giap and his colleagues, although that memory is full of pain, it also deeply engraved unforgettable experiences - the days and nights fighting for the patient's life in the fragile line between life and death.
Those were days of extreme tension with 27 conferences, every minute was a battle to save the life of the most serious victim of the mini apartment fire. The patient was admitted to the hospital in a deep coma, critical condition due to smoke inhalation, with lungs covered in black mucus from toxic smoke. From the very beginning, doctors have made continuous efforts to wash the lungs continuously to clean the airways. However, by the 6th day, the lung disease was still black, showing the severity of the damage that the patient had to endure. Only when the patient recovered and was discharged from the hospital did Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Giap and his colleagues can breathe a sigh of relief.
This is one of the most difficult cases of treatment. The patient was admitted to the hospital in critical condition, with serious lung damage due to inhaling toxic smoke. We have to closely monitor each index, mobilize experts from many specialties to build optimal treatment regimens. There are consultations taking place at midnight, but all are determined: Regaining the patient's life" - Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Giap shared.
During the treatment process, Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Giap has witnessed many critical cases, his life is only fragile. However, thanks to the determination of the medical team and the patient's strong will, many people have miraculously recovered their lives.
One of the memorable cases is a middle-aged male patient admitted to the hospital in a state of severe respiratory failure due to complicated pneumonia. When admitted to the Respiratory Department, the patient was in critical condition, had to use a ventilator and was at high risk of death. Thanks to the active treatment regimen, combined with advanced support methods such as high-flow oxygen and strong antibiotic intervention, the patient gradually recovered, was able to take off the ventilator and be discharged after more than a month of treatment.
In addition, he also mentioned a young patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at a late stage. This person had been smoking for a long time, leading to serious lung damage. Upon admission, respiratory function was seriously impaired, but thanks to the treatment regimen combined with rehabilitation exercises, the patient improved significantly and returned to normal life.
In addition, Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Giap also emphasized the role of early screening and treatment of respiratory diseases, especially in the context of increasingly serious air pollution. He and the medical team at Bach Mai Hospital always strive not only in treatment but also in propaganda work, helping people raise awareness of health protection.
Dedicated to public health
Every new day of Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Giap starts early in the morning at Bach Mai Hospital, where he participates in sessions, updates patient status and gives important professional instructions. He spends most of his time examining and consulting on complex cases, especially serious patients who need intensive intervention.
In addition to treatment, he also actively participates in scientific research, teaching and training the younger generation of doctors. Through professional seminars, he constantly shares experiences and updates new medical advances to improve treatment quality. Although he is a manager, he always considers patients as the center, directly inspects departments, listens to the opinions of colleagues and patients to promptly adjust and improve medical services.
His work schedule extends until late at night, but every time he sees patients recover, he is motivated to continue his journey of dedication. For him, this is not just a job but a lifelong mission.
Orientation for the development of modern medicine
His years of studying at Hanoi Medical University helped him improve his knowledge and train his courage to pursue a challenging medical career. In particular, he paid deep attention to respiratory specialties - a complex field that has great significance for public health.
After graduating, he was attached to Bach Mai Hospital, constantly improving his expertise, participating in scientific research and affirming his position in the medical community. His studies on asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and advanced treatments have made an important contribution to the development of the respiratory industry.
From a young doctor, he gradually took on the position of Deputy Director of the Respiratory Center and then Deputy Director of Bach Mai Hospital. In addition to his professional role, he is also a dedicated teacher, directly guiding many generations of young doctors, contributing to improving the quality of Vietnam's medical human resources.
As a leading expert in the respiratory field, Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Giap has published more than 80 scientific articles, 20 books in depth and made many important contributions to the treatment of respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis, COPD, asthma and smoking cessation programs. As Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Respiratory Association, he participates in developing effective treatment regimens that are constantly updated for respiratory diseases in Vietnam.
In 2017, he began a research collaboration with the University of Sydney (Australia) as a post-doctoral fellow, participating in important clinical trial projects, contributing to changing the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and improving health care practices in Vietnam.
He pioneered the application of AI in diagnosis and treatment, bringing high efficiency, typically early detection of lung cancer for patients, helping to increase the chance of survival.
With outstanding contributions to research, training and technology application, Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Giap was awarded the title of Visiting Professor by the University of Sydney, recognizing his important role in medical cooperation between Vietnam and Australia.
Currently, he is the Deputy Director in charge of Bach Mai Hospital's expertise, Director of the Training and Guidance Center, Deputy Director of the hospital's Respiratory Center, and a Senior Lecturer in Internal Medicine at Hanoi Medical University. His dedication and continuous contributions not only improve the quality of community health care but also promote international cooperation, making Vietnamese medicine increasingly developed and integrated.
