Society

Hmong doctor volunteers... to return to the village.

Tien Dong • January 31, 2025 17:40

"I chose to return to Nhon Mai commune because it's my hometown. Thinking about the lack of doctors in my commune, and how people have to travel long distances to find treatment when they're sick, I proactively volunteered to come here," said Doctor Va Ba Tung, explaining his reason for requesting to return to the Nhon Mai Commune Health Station (Tuong Duong).

Go far away to return

In Nhon Mai commune, Dr. Va Ba Tung is no longer an unfamiliar name to the local people. He has become a source of pride for the Mong people in this area, being one of the first people from his village to pass the entrance exam and graduate from a medical university.

Although he only started working at the Nhon Mai Commune Health Station in April 2022 after the doctors there had to take leave for medical treatment, Dr. Tung has quickly become a pillar of support for the local community.

Born and raised in Nhon Mai commune, Dr. Va Ba Tung embarked on a long and arduous journey to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. After graduating from junior high school in late 2004, he packed his bags and left his hometown to attend Viet Bac High School in Thai Nguyen. This was perhaps the first step in Va Ba Tung's journey to conquer his dream.

After graduating from high school in 2008, Va Ba Tung excelled in the entrance exam to Hue University of Medicine and studied there until 2014. Upon graduation, he received many job offers, but his heart always remained with his hometown. He decided to decline opportunities to work in central provinces such as Quang Nam, Thua Thien Hue, and Quang Binh in order to serve his people back home.

Returning to his hometown in 2015, Dr. Tung was hired to work at the Outpatient Department of Tuong Duong District General Hospital (the predecessor of the current Tuong Duong District Health Center). At that time, Tuong Duong district was severely short of doctors, so he was transferred to reinforce the medical staff in Xieng My, Tam Hop, and Tam Dinh communes before returning to the Health Center.

In April 2022, when a doctor at the Nhon Mai Health Station fell ill and had to take leave, Va Ba Tung did not hesitate to propose to the management board that he be assigned to the Nhon Mai Commune Health Station until a new doctor could be recruited.

Perhaps there's no need to explain the reason for volunteering to reinforce the Nhon Mai commune. For Doctor Va Ba Tung, this is where he was born and raised. His parents, wife, children, and relatives are also here—people who witnessed him leave to pursue his dream 20 years ago.

Dr. Tung said that the biggest difficulty for Nhon Mai commune is its remote and isolated location. Traveling from Nhon Mai commune to the center of Tuong Duong district takes more than 140 km, making it difficult to transfer seriously ill patients to higher-level hospitals. Furthermore, Nhon Mai commune has a large area, with 12 villages, the furthest being Huoi Co, 20 km from the commune center, where living conditions for the people are still very difficult.

Fighting against the "forest spirits"

Regarding his assignment in Nhon Mai commune, despite being close to his family, Dr. Tung faced numerous difficulties, especially in emergency care and treatment of critically ill patients. The commune's health station lacked many basic medical equipment such as ultrasound machines, laboratory testing equipment, X-ray machines, and especially fetal heart monitors. In such situations, Dr. Tung had to utilize all his experience and knowledge to devise the best treatment plan and save patients' lives under such limited resources.

Nhon Mai commune is home to four ethnic groups: Mong, Thai, Kinh, and Kho Mu. Many people speak very little Kinh, and some don't speak it at all. Therefore, many patients don't provide complete information about their symptoms when they come for examination, leading to inaccurate diagnoses. "This can be very dangerous to the patient's life if we misdiagnose their illness. There's no other way; we have to learn their language," shared Dr. Tung.

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I chose to return to my hometown because I wanted to help the people here. Despite the difficulties in terms of infrastructure and geography, seeing the people healthy every day makes me happy...

Doctor Va Ba Tung

During his nearly 10 years of service, having been assigned to many different localities, in addition to his mother tongue and the common Vietnamese language, Dr. Tung has become fluent in both Thai and Khmu.

"Knowing the local language can help me in many ways, from understanding disease symptoms and making accurate diagnoses to disseminating information and reminding people about ways to prevent and treat common seasonal illnesses," Dr. Tung said enthusiastically.

Our conversation was frequently interrupted by people constantly coming and going for medical checkups. Despite the hard work, for Dr. Tung, being trusted and sought after by the people was a source of happiness.

He recalled the case of Va Ba La, an 8th-grade student from Huoi Co village. In September 2024, while in class, the child suddenly experienced severe abdominal pain. After examination, Dr. Tung discovered that the child had acute appendicitis. After initial first aid, he and the family decided to urgently transfer the child to the Northwest General Hospital in Thai Hoa town. Despite the long distance, thanks to his timely and decisive action, the child was not in any danger.

In Nhon Mai commune, according to Doctor Tung, the difficulties stem not only from the lack of infrastructure and challenging transportation conditions, but what worries him most is the inadequacy in the people's awareness. People in the highlands still hold many outdated beliefs, especially regarding mental health issues.

He said that here, women often face a lot of pressure in life, sometimes even over a small matter they think about suicide, like going into the forest to eat the poisonous leaves of the Gelsemium elegans plant. The Gelsemium elegans is like a "forest ghost," becoming a haunting obsession for a long time. But since coming here, with his medical knowledge and timely awareness campaigns, he has saved many lives from the clutches of this "forest ghost."

Recently, the case of Ms. VYC in Nhon Mai village is an example. Around 5 PM one day in April 2024, after finishing his medical examination and preparing to go home, his family rushed to his house carrying Ms. VYC. Upon inquiry, it was learned that, due to a moment of anger with her husband, Ms. C. had run into the forest and eaten poisonous leaves. Fortunately, her family discovered her in time and took her to the health station. Immediately, Dr. Tung and his colleagues induced vomiting, flushed the intestines, and administered detoxification fluids. Ms. VYC subsequently recovered from the critical condition.

"Every emergency case is crucial, and in this case, saving lives is not just about physical treatment, but also about uplifting their spirits, so they realize that life is precious and worth cherishing," said Dr. Tung.

Dr. Tran Van Cong, Deputy Director of the Tuong Duong District Health Center, couldn't hide his appreciation when speaking about Dr. Va Ba Tung, the doctor who volunteered to work in Nhon Mai commune – one of the most disadvantaged communes in the district. He said: "Currently, Dr. Tung is the only doctor assigned to a commune-level health facility in the entire Tuong Duong district. Of the 17 communes and towns in the district, Nhon Mai is the only one without a specialist doctor. Dr. Tung's volunteer work here has solved the problem of doctor shortage in this locality."

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Although the Nhon Mai Commune Health Station lacks modern equipment found in higher-level hospitals, we are committed to supporting the medical team there through online consultations for severe and complex cases, ensuring timely and accurate treatment.

Dr. Tran Van Cong, Specialist Level 1 - Deputy Director of Tuong Duong District Health Center

Leaving Nhon Mai commune, bidding farewell to the young doctor Va Ba Tung, we understood from the depths of his eyes that the work he was doing wasn't about achievements or fame, but about the happy smiles of the patients he saved, and the trust and respect the local people had for him.

Watching the figure in the white coat gradually disappear into the distance, we suddenly thought that the road ahead for him was still bumpy, but his passionate heart and dedication to his profession had sown so much faith, hope, and health in the people here.

For Dr. Tung, Nhon Mai commune is not only his hometown, but also the place he chose to dedicate himself to, to live fully with the noble ideals of a physician. His presence here is clear evidence of the power of compassion and boundless love for his profession and homeland.

Tien Dong