Over recent years, the Da Nang Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital has given active support for ethnic minority patients in order to help them feel secure while receiving treatment here.

Ho Quoc Thien, a Co Tu ethnic minority child, receiving medical check-ups at the Da Nang Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital

Specifically mention is the ‘Charity Meals’ programme for ethnic minority patients with cancer who are being treated in the hospital. The meaningful programme has helped them ease their financial burden, and leverage their strengths to fight against their diseases.

Ms Tran Cao Thanh Binh, Deputy Head of the hospital’s Social Work Department, said that her hospital has to date provided more than 1,380 free meals, totaling over 592 million VND, for ethnic minority patients and their caregivers. The majority of recipients were Co Tu people from the communes of Hoa Bac and Hoa Phu in Hoa Vang District.

Under the programme which was launched September 2018, each patient is provided with 2 meals, valued at 70,000 VND in total, per day.

In addition, the hospital has joined forces with generous donors to present gifts to child patients on the occasion of Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and International Children's Day.

Also, the hospital has become actively involved in appealing for domestic philanthropists to cover medical examinations and treatment costs along with travel expenses for families of ethnic minority child patients in need of help.

Besides, the hospital in collaboration with the Sympathetic Hearts Charity Foundation and other charity organisations have provided free surgery for poor children with congenital heart disease, including 9 ethnic minority ones.

Amongst the 9 ethnic minority child patients is 4-year-old A Rat Minh Tri from Quang Nam Province’s Nam Giang District. The little boy has received free heart surgery, totalling 35 million VND. Currently, his health is now gradually recovering.

Dr Nguyen Son, Deputy Director of the hospital, affirmed in addition to giving the best possible medical treatment to patients, the hospital has always paid special attention to giving strengths to patients, especially the poor, during their fight against their diseases by connecting philanthropists and charity organisations to carry out humanitarian programmes like the ‘Charity Meals’.