Close-up of the 'dialysis neighborhood' on Vinh Street during Covid season

Thanh Cuong• August 17, 2020 10:39

(Baonghean.vn) - Located at an old factory headquarters on Le Ninh Street (Quan Bau Ward, Vinh City), it is a place of residence for kidney failure patients. During the Covid-19 outbreak, residents of the "dialysis village" struggled to get through the pandemic.

Mr. Kha Van Giap (born in 1991), from Yen Hoa commune (Tuong Duong), went to Vinh for dialysis in April 2017. As the main breadwinner in a family of 5, Mr. Giap worked as a factory worker in Lam Dong for a while but had to quit because of poor health due to kidney failure. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Returning home to struggle with his illness for a while, he had to go to Vinh for dialysis in mid-2017 and then became a regular resident of the “dialysis village”; he had to go for dialysis 3 times a week. Photo: Thanh Cuong

To make ends meet, one day he goes to dialysis, the other day he drives a motorbike. Vi Thi On - his wife - also had to leave her children with her grandparents and go to Vinh to find extra work to help her husband. Photo: Hai Vuong

The Covid-19 epidemic broke out, the "dialysis neighborhood" closed its gates regularly. Mr. Giap, like other dialysis patients, had to stay at home, only going out when going for dialysis. All daily activities and expenses were shouldered by his wife alone. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Having to deal with illness, making a living, and fighting the pandemic, the lives of dialysis patients have become more difficult during the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Hai Vuong

“Knowing that the epidemic situation is complicated, everyone here is worried, just hiding at home, and when it is time for dialysis, they go to the hospital and do not dare to go anywhere. All the previous part-time jobs have to be stopped,” said Mr. Giap. Photo: Hai Vuong

Not only Mr. Kha Van Giap, the "dialysis village" has 11 other people in similar situations. They are all people from remote areas with difficult circumstances, who come here to rent a room for treatment. Normally, one day they go for dialysis, the other day they work for hire, drive a motorbike, collect scrap metal... to make ends meet. Photo: Hai Vuong

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the “miserable people” had to lock themselves in a cramped room to “hide from the epidemic”. According to recommendations, cancer patients; kidney dialysis patients; diabetic patients; obese patients; heart failure patients... are vulnerable and at high risk of serious illness. During the Covid pandemic, the “dialysis neighborhood” is always in a state of anxiety. Photo: Thanh Cuong