There are only three days left to Tet holiday, Da Nang’s streets are decorated with colorful flowers and flags while people are either busy with preparations for Tet or already packing up and ready to return home to celebrate Tet. However, seemingly untouched by the hectic festive mood outside, a dialysis patient community in a small alley on Hai Phong Street, Thach Thang Ward, Hai Chau District, will remain in Da Nang for critical dialysis sessions and spend Tet away from home.

Tet holiday heightens worrries in dialysis patients. In the photo: Two dialysis patients are preparing for lunch amid approaching Tet. Photo: XD

For many people, Tet is time to gather with family and friends as well as to put aside their worries, but this holiday heightens worrries in dialysis patients. Some of these patients are unable to return to their hometowns to celebrate Tet with their families due to financial difficulties, and critical dialysis sessions with three times a week. Maybe they can only return home for 1-2 days to celebrate Tet, and then have to return to Da Nang for critical dialysis sessions. Therefore, they cannot enjoy a warm Tet with their families and relatives during the holiday.

Ngo Thi Cuc, 66, a resident of Quang Nam Province’s Tam Ky City said that dialysis patient community has 17 people who are living in 6 rental rooms with an area of 15m² each. In addition to the existing beds, the patients have to use additional mattresses to accommodate 4-5 people in a room. The youngest patient is at the age of 34 and the oldest is 83 years of age, majority of whom come from Quang Nam Province.

Most dialysis patients are living under difficult circumstances. A patient cannot afford to pay their rent of VND 4 million per month so they have to share a rental room to save money.

“Apart from accommodation fees, we also have to pay for medical bills with an amount of close to VND 2 million a month and to spend on food. However, we suffer from poor health so we can't do anything to make money. Therefore, Tet brings fear for dialysis patients," said Mrs. Cuc.

Although the dialysis patients are not blood relatives, they find it easy to empathize with each other, and they are willing to help each other as they share the same situation. In the photo: A woman helps an elderly patient with feeding. Photo: XD

Mr. Le Dai Muoi, 68, a resident of Quang Nam Province’s Duy Xuyen District, who has undergone dialysis therapy for 10 years, and has joined the dialysis patient community in Da Nang for more than 3 years said that his wife in his hometown is nearly 70 years old, while their grown-up children are living too far away, and they are living under difficult circumstances. Health insurance covers most of the health care costs of his dialysis while he is mainly supported by benefactors and members of the dialysis patient community.

In 2019, before Covid-19, he was able to rent accommodation at the Da Nang General Hospital at only VND 400,000 per month, so he did not worry about money. Currently, each person has to spend more than VND 1 million on renting accomodation even though they share a rental room, making their life more difficult.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam, 48, a resident of Quang Nam Province’s Thang Binh District, has joined the dialysis patient community in Da Nang for nearly 4 years said that they do not organize year-end parties or make decorations for Tet. The time when charity groups visit them and give Banh Chung to them is considered to be the Tet holiday for them. They can't do anything after each dialysis session as they feel tired and want to rest. Therefore, they just gather, tell stories, and confide in each other to battle against kidney disease in their free time.

Ms. Tam said that the Da Nang General Hospital gave gifts to poor patients, including dialysis patients a week ago as part of its program entitled ‘Spring of love’. Each gift includes cash and some necessities.

“The gift is not large but shows the hospital staff's love and care for us. We feel much more comforted and much happier as Tet is approaching after receiving gifts," shared Ms. Tam.

As Tet arrives, dialysis patients look forward to returning home to celebrate Tet but they cannot do this because of their poor health, difficulty moving and critical dialysis sessions. As a result, they are unable to enjoy a happy Tet with their families.

The rental accomodation on Hai Phong Street has become a second home to dialysis patients. They only wish their health is in a stable condition as Tet arrives.

Reporting by THIEN DUYEN – Translating by H.L