Following Uncle Ho's example through simple actions.

(Baonghean)To concretize President Ho Chi Minh's teachings to young people through practical actions linked to their professional roles and duties, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai - Deputy Head of the Surgery Department and Secretary of the Youth Union of Nghe An Endocrinology Hospital - is one of 34 exemplary young people who followed President Ho Chi Minh's teachings and was commended by the Provincial Youth Union Standing Committee in 2013. He also had the honor of being the youngest delegate representing the youth of the entire province at the Conference summarizing the two-year implementation of Directive 03 of the Politburo and commending exemplary individuals in studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh at the provincial level…

Meeting Nguyen Thanh Hai for the first time at the ceremony honoring exemplary young people organized by the Provincial Youth Union at the Kim Lien historical site, few would have guessed that this gentle-faced young man, born in 1985 and wearing glasses, is the Deputy Head of the General Surgery Department at the Endocrinology Hospital. Hai confided, "For me, learning from and following President Ho Chi Minh is not something too lofty, but begins with simple actions connected to the practical circumstances and daily work. First of all, as a young person, I learn from President Ho Chi Minh's spirit of 'nothing is difficult, only the lack of perseverance is to be feared.' And in my capacity as a doctor, I always uphold medical ethics as President Ho Chi Minh taught, 'A good doctor is like a loving mother.'"

Looking at Nguyen Thanh Hai's academic and professional life, it's clear that this young man has always strived to concretize his actions in relation to his professional role and responsibilities. During his studies, Hai achieved an impressive record, being a top student in Biology at the provincial level for three consecutive years, and the top scorer in the 2008 national qualifying exam for Phan Boi Chau High School. Although no one in his family pursued a career in medicine, driven by a desire to heal and save lives, Hai decided to apply to and was admitted to Hanoi Medical University with a high score. In 2009, graduating with a good grade and becoming a young Party member admitted while still in school, Hai received numerous job offers from major hospitals both within and outside the province. However, he decided to work at the Nghe An Endocrinology Hospital to continue learning and honing his professional skills, as it was a place that truly needed skilled doctors to serve in the examination and treatment of endocrine diseases, which were on the rise.

Doctor Nguyen Thanh Hai examines the patient.

Upon returning to the Endocrinology Hospital, Nguyen Thanh Hai advised the Board of Directors to apply information technology and the internet in managing the examination, treatment, and care of outpatients and inpatients. This helped reduce administrative procedures at the Endocrinology Hospital, improve patient waiting times, enhance treatment efficiency, and allow doctors to dedicate more time to patient counseling as they no longer had to worry about paperwork and record-keeping as before. When the Ministry of Health implemented Project 1816, demonstrating the pioneering spirit of "wherever there is a need, young people are there," young doctor Nguyen Thanh Hai was one of the first to actively respond (from November 2011 to February 2012). At the Vien Thanh Commune Health Station in Yen Thanh District, Dr. Hai transferred several techniques for capillary blood glucose testing, techniques for examining and preventing goiter, and knowledge about diagnosis, treatment, care, and counseling for diabetes patients in the community. His contributions were highly appreciated by the Vien Thanh Commune Health Station and the Yen Thanh District Health Center.

In April 2012, the Department of Surgery (Endocrinology Hospital) was established and began operations, marking a breakthrough in the development of the hospital and the surgical sector in the province. Entrusted with the role of Deputy Head of Department, managing a team of 14 doctors, nurses, and medical assistants, and overseeing the overall operation of the department, was a significant challenge for a young doctor like Nguyen Thanh Hai. However, with his exemplary spirit, eagerness to learn, and sense of responsibility, he actively advised the hospital leadership on applying advanced techniques to treat goiter and diabetes, contributing to reducing healthcare costs for patients and society by eliminating the need for referrals to higher-level hospitals, and simultaneously alleviating hospital overcrowding.

For example, in 2012, the Endocrinology Hospital adopted open thyroidectomy using the harmonic scalpel – a modern surgical technique. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai was the first in Nghe An to learn this method and was personally taught by Dr. Tran Ngoc Luong, Deputy Director of the Central Endocrinology Hospital and head of the research project. To date, thousands of patients have undergone this surgical procedure at the Endocrinology Hospital, with Dr. Hai himself serving as the lead surgeon in nearly 700 safe surgeries.

In addition, he participated in and led many highly-regarded scientific and practical research projects, such as: "Initial observations on the results of open surgery using ultrasonic scalpel to treat nodular goiter at Nghe An Endocrinology Hospital"; "Some observations on peripheral neuropathy complications and evaluation of treatment effectiveness in type 2 diabetes patients at Nghe An Endocrinology Hospital"; "Research proposing solutions to reduce the incidence of goiter among 8-10 year old students in Nghe An province"...

Despite being busy with professional work and managerial responsibilities, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai, with his unwavering spirit, proactively advised and proposed creative activity models to attract and mobilize young people to participate enthusiastically, such as free medical examinations and treatment, blood donation, Tet (Lunar New Year) for the poor, and activities related to traditional education. Dedicated to his work, sharing with colleagues, and responsible to patients, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai is trusted by his superiors, respected by his colleagues, and loved by his patients. He had the honor of representing the youth of the entire province at the Provincial Conference summarizing the two-year implementation of Directive 03 and commending exemplary individuals in studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh. For him, this was "both a source of pride and a motivation to continue emulating Uncle Ho in the simplest actions in daily life and in his professional work."

Text and photos: Khanh Ly