Article 2: Continuing peacekeeping mission of Vietnamese military medical staff

(CPV) – Following the work of Level-2 Field Hospitals that Vietnam has successfully deployed in recent years, Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 has officially come into operation since early May, 2022 and made many impressions, contributing to spreading the image of the peace-loving country and people of Vietnam in the eyes of international friends.

Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 with a staff of 63 comrades (12 female soldiers) is responsible for deploying to replace Level-2 Field Hospital No. 3 at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). During the past time, despite the complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic, all staff of the Hospital have made efforts to participate fully in training programs in military medicine, military, foreign language and pre-implementation training, and thoroughly prepared in every     thing to be mission-ready.

Steady on the road

The emotional moment of Major, doctor Nguyen Thi Thanh Hai before boarding (Photo: Pham Hai)

I still remembered exactly the image of Major, doctor Nguyen Thi Thanh Hai, Head of Internal Medicine Department of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4, at the plane’s door to go on a mission. Holding tight the national flag, the military doctor raised her hand according to military orders to say goodbye to everyone with teary eyes. It was a deeply emotional solemn moment. When she went to South Sudan, she shared that her feelings at that moment were honor and pride mixed with nostalgia for her homeland and family when she was on a mission in a place very far from the country. She told her heart to make efforts to overcome all difficulties and challenges, temporarily put away personal emotions to firmly step on the way to the task.

Arriving in South Sudan, the first impression of Major, doctor Hai was touched by the children who were the same age as her children but they did not have enough minimum needs such as clothes and shoes. The children's toys were plastic bottles filled with dirt and stones, old wheels rolling on muddy roads, etc., but they still keep the innocent and pure smiles of children on their lips. Those idyllic images touched the heart of a female doctor who was on duty for the first time away from the country.

This is the second time Lieutenant Colonel Do Thi Hang Nga, Deputy Director of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4, has received her assignment in South Sudan. No longer as surprised as the first time, she returned to South Sudan this time with a very stable mind. All of the experiences she gained during her tenure as a staff officer at the UNMISS were brought with her on this mission with Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4.

Lieutenant Colonel Do Thi Hang Nga takes photo with locals in Bentiu, South Sudan (Photo: Sy Cong)

Sharing with us, they said that the simple and poor lives of the indigenous people have motivated them to do their jobs well to contribute to a more peaceful and happy life for people in a country that was still unstable as South Sudan. That is also the common thought of many Vietnamese soldiers participating in the peacekeeping force that I have the opportunity to contact and talk to. For them, standing in line of the UN Mission is both an honor and a great responsibility.

Fast pacing with new working environmetn 

Lieutenant Colonel Vu Minh Duong, Director of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 said that Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 has received the work handover from Level-2 Field Hospital No. 3. Right after arriving in Bentiu, the Hospital Board of Directors agreed to quickly stabilize the unit, do a good job of handing over facilities as well as processes of taking over and operating the hospital activities early in order to avoid interruption to its medical examination and treatment.

Lieutenant Colonel Vu Minh Duong gives gifts to children in South Sudan (Photo: Sy Cong)

Thanks to the support of the Commander of the Vietnamese peacekeeping force in the Mission, leaders of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 3, the handover was completed in five days and the hospital quickly went into operation shortly after. After a month of operation, the hospital has provided more than 110 medical examinations and treatment, 04 cases of surgery and 2 cases of air transportation. Local patients are very satisfied and confident with the level and care attitude of Vietnamese hospitals.

Lieutenant Colonel Vu Minh Duong said that Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 is currently carrying out the tasks assigned by the Party, State and Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam and the task of medical examination and treatment at the UNMISS. In addition to complying with the guidelines and regulations of the UN, Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 also develops its own medical examination and treatment procedures based on the specificity and nature of medical examination and treatment in the area. Each department of the hospital has a procedure for receiving and treating patients. For difficult cases, the hospital will deploy the Tele Medicine system, seeking advice from experts from the Military Medical Academy.

Sharing about the advantages and disadvantages of the hospital, Lieutenant Colonel Vu Minh Duong said: “When performing the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, the hospital inherited the valuable achievements and experiences that the previous hospital left. Besides, we also receive the good love and support from friends and local people for the Hospital. In addition, although Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 is on duty in South Sudan, we always receive the attention and close and timely direction of the Minister of National Defense and the Head of Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and the Military Medical Academy. We also receive great support from the rear. So that when we work away from home, we can work with peace of mind.”

Flag raising ceremony a Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 every first Monday (Photo: Sy Cong)

According to the Director of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4, living and working conditions in South Sudan are quite harsh, while for most of the hospital's staff, this is the first time that they have performed their duties abroad. Despite of many surprises and worries, the solidarity, efforts and mutual support of the hospital's staff has helped everyone quickly adapt to the new environment.

Actively doing good professional work

Regarding professional work, Major, doctor Le Viet Anh, Deputy Director of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4, said that the hospital has started providing medical examination and treatment from the first days after receiving the assignment. Every day, the hospital receives 6-8 cases on average with many different diseases such as high blood pressure, lumbar spine pain, trauma, dental diseases, ear, nose and throat diseases.

The most memorable thing is that in the first week of operation, the doctors of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 successfully conducted a complicated surgery. That is the patient transferred from the Level-1 Field Hospital with mild fever, below the navel and right side constant abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. This is a difficult case to diagnose. Through clinical examination and abdominal ultrasound, doctors from the hospital diagnosed acute appendicitis. The patient underwent emergency surgery right after. The stable postoperative patient continued to be cared for in the ICU. This operation marked the thoughtful preparation of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 in all aspects, from diagnosis, surgery and comprehensive care to the patient.

Some professional activities of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 (Photo: Sy Cong)

On June 17, 2022, Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 received a Ghanaian patient from the Ghana's Formed Police Unit (FPU) who was admitted to the hospital with swelling, pain, and pus discharge in the anal area. One month earlier, this patient had been sent to the Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 and had removed a large piece of pig bone in the anorectal area. Through examination, the patient was diagnosed with complicated anal fistula and indicated for surgery to remove the fistula.

After preparations, consultations and discussions about the surgical method and the method of anesthesia, the surgeons of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 conducted the surgery smoothly. With inadequate facilities and difficult field conditions, the complicated surgery required experienced doctors. After more than an hour of surgery, the operation was successful. On June 24, 2022, one week after treatmen and care, the patient completely recovered and was discharged back to the unit to continue working.

Regarding professional work, Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 also organized many training sessions on the topic of diagnosis and treatment of acute myocardial infarction to train and update professional knowledge for Level-1 Field Hospitals of Ghanaian infantry battalion, Pakistani engineering force, Mongolian infantry battalion, Ghana police unit, UN Level-1 Field Hospitals; on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of monkeypox that is complicated in the world. The purpose of the training sessions is to promptly equip with basic knowledge and essential epidemiological skills frontline health workers, thereby helping the health system in the whole mission have a unified consistently, synchronously, and proactively ready to respond when the epidemic threatens to spread to the area where the mission is stationed.

Let's sow green sprouts of hope

Lieutenant Colonel Do Thi Hang Nga, Deputy Director of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 said "Since the first time I set foot in South Sudan, the youngest country in the world (South Sudan split into an independent country in 2011), I was impressed by people’s simple houses, especially those in the Bentiu where Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 is stationed. Therefore, I feel that our work here is meaningful. We have made make a small contribution to maintaining peace in this country. South Sudan is a country with civil war, the people of South Sudan, especially  people in Bentiu are still poor. However, the people are very friendly, especially towards Vietnamese soldiers. Whenever seeing Vietnamese soldiers passing by, the local people give us friendly greetings and warm welcoming waves. This is joy and motivation for us to work every day."    

Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 members plant trees at Charles Kuot Primary School (Photo: Sy Cong)

Sharing about the feelings of indigenous people with the Vietnamese army, Lieutenant Nguyen Sy Cong from Department of Medical Examination, Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 said that when the UN vehicle carrying the hospital delegation approached the village, the children ran out to wave Vietnamese soldiers, babbling two words "Xin chao" (“Hello” in Vietnamese), then ran after the car. When the car arrived at the village, the village elder and many other elderly people came out to give a very warm welcome. They smiled brightly when they saw the Vietnamese flag. Because over the years, the presence of Vietnamese soldiers in the Level-2 Field Hospital No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 has left good impressions and affection of the local people. Some people shared that they were very grateful to the Vietnamese army for helping and supporting them in their daily lives.

Recently, on the occasion of African Children's Day June 16, Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 organized a combined Civil-Military Coordination (CIMIC) during its tenure in South Sudan. Under the direction of the Hospital Board of Directors, members of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 prepared gifts brought from Vietnam to South Sudan. Those are pictures, t-shirts, learning tools that show the hearts of the hospital officers and soldiers as well as the Vietnam and its people to local people, especially African children. Vietnamese “blue beret” soldiers visited and presented gifts to the students from Charles Kuot Primary School of Unity State. The doctors and nurses also planted eagle trees on the school campus with the desire to bring green to this harsh windy land.

A teacher of Charles Kuot Primary School shared with Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 expressed his hope that “These trees will grow, and many years from now, when you come to this place, we will tell the story of these trees. Vietnamese people have cultivated them.”    

Apart from working hours, members of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 actively participated in social activities in the military-stationed area (Photo: Sy Cong)

The green trees planted by Vietnamese “blue berets” soldiers at Charles Kuot Primary School as well as in many other places in South Sudan were nurtured from seeds brought from Vietnam, nurtured and cared for by the industrious hands and peace-loving hearts of the soldiers of Uncle Ho's army. It is the green sprout of hope and happiness that Vietnam's "peace messengers" want to send to the peace-loving people in South Sudan as well as around the world./.

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