On a line between life and death, not only do COVID-19 patients face health risks associated with scientific indicators of disease progression, but they also have to encounter other uncertainties. The medical staff, therefore, not only strictly follow the procedures for protection, infection control and treatment processes according to the Ministry of Health's protocol, but they also make a strong spiritual support for patients who suffer pain triggered by the disease, in addition to many worries and fears.

Doctor Tran Thi Thu from the Ward of Pediatrics at the Hoa Vang District Medical Centre is seen playing with a child patient infected with COVID-19.

Kind-hearted doctor serves as a family member to patient

Returning home after 2 weeks of staying in a centralised quarantine isolation due to her links to an infected patient. Doctor Tran Thi Thu from the Ward of Pediatrics at the Hoa Vang District Medical Centre still did not forget the unexpected circumstance under which she herself become a close COVID contact.

At the beginning of September 2021, a 25-year- old patient residing in Vinh Trung Ward, Thanh Khe District was found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 through mass testing applied to all local household representatives. Unfortunately, she was amongst the 8 people belonging to the same family to be infected with the deadly virus.

At that time, she had a 3- month- old baby with a congenital heart disease. Still worse, her husband was stuck in Ho Chi Minh City- one of the COVID-19 hotspots in Viet Nam. No family members could stand side by side the poor woman at that very challenging time.

“Misfortunes never come alone" ! Such unexpected blows drove the woman into a deadlock, overwhelming anxiety, panic and deep depression, and at that time, she had no choice but to end her life with a fall from the balcony of the hospital where she was being treated for the disease at that time.

Luckily, doctor Thu approached the scene in time and prevented this female patient from committing suicide. Delivering great encouragement and great sympathy for the young mom, Thu's sincere words seemed to touch the patient’s miserable heart and brought her back to life. The duo hugged each other and sobbed in the witness of many patients and medical staffers here,

“This young mother faced postnatal anxiety and stress when her baby was not as healthy as other normal ones. Still worse, she got into panic over a potential fear that her baby would contract the virus from her. I have faced many tragic and grim situations, but this is the first time in my life that I have witnessed a case where the gap between life and death is so close, only one step apart”, said doctor Thu.

As permitted by the hospital's leaders, doctor Thu tasked herself with taking care of this female patient and her little son. At night, the kind-hearted doctor, in her stuffy protective gears, lulled the baby to sleep and assisted breastfeeding as well during odd hours.

Thanks to the great encouragement and support by the medical staff, especially doctor Thu, one week later, the woman recovered from COVID-19 and was discharged from the hospital. What is more encouraging is that her son was not infected with this highly contagious disease.

After the young mother and her son had returned home, doctor Thu was sent to a centralised quarantine facility as a close COVID contact.

Going the extra mile for child patients

During the recent COVID-19 wave, medical workers in Da Nang went the extra mile for child patients. In the fight against the pandemic, many doctors have become nannies to take care of child patients.

According to Dr. Nguyen Dai Vinh, Director of Hoa Vang District Medical Centre,  one of the treatment sites for COVID-19 in Da Nang, more than one thirds of the COVID-19 patients recorded in this virus surge were children under 15.

“If you don't consider them to be your family members, and if you don't closely monitor their psychological development, it will be very difficult for the treatment to come to success.  The hospital has assigned a number of pediatric medical staffers to treat and take care of child patients. Thanks to this, all the children are in stable health and they are very obedient and cooperative with doctors”., said Dr. Vinh.

For 5 months of combating the pandemic in a row, medical staffers on duty at the medical staff took turns taking care of, reading books for and sleeping with child patients who were in anxiety during tough days of living away from home behind the closed gate.

“Finishing a day of overloaded work, all of us are really exhausted and our clothing is heavily soaked in sweat.  Despite these hardships we now face, being frugal with their time and having white nights, we are proud of our contributions to the fight against coronavirus. Our happiness every day is merely to see the patients make improvements, or test negative for the virus” said a doctor.

There is no denying that the pandemic will end, but the power of humanity will last forever!

Reporting by LE HUNG, PHAN CHUNG – Translating by ANH THU