Major Trần Đức Tài speaks at the event on Saturday. — Photo courtesy of the hospital

BENTIU — A Vietnamese field hospital in South Sudan marked the 81st anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People’s Army this week, underscoring the country’s growing role in international peacekeeping far from home.

On Saturday, the Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 7 held a commemorative event in Bentiu, bringing together more than 100 UN peacekeepers, sector commanders and medical staff serving in the area.

The gathering combined a formal ceremony with cultural exchanges, featuring Vietnamese traditional food and joint performances by Vietnamese personnel and international colleagues – a reflection of the multinational environment in which the hospital operates.

Speaking at the event, the hospital’s director, Major Trần Đức Tài, said Vietnamese medical staff saw close cooperation with international peacekeepers as essential to their work in South Sudan.

"Our mission is medical care – to treat patients and to help ease the pressures of life inside the mission environment," he said, adding that the hospital aimed to make practical contributions to peace and stability in the region.

Guests arrive for the ceremony.

Tài said Việt Nam viewed international cooperation and multilateral peacekeeping as a long-term commitment, describing service under the UN flag as both a duty and an opportunity to deepen mutual understanding and build lasting partnerships.

Brigadier General Zewdu Endris Yimer, commander of the UN’s Unity Sector, said it was an honour to mark the anniversary at the Vietnamese hospital – a setting that, he said, symbolised the army’s evolution from a force forged in national struggle to an increasingly active contributor to global peacekeeping.

He said the spirit of the 'Soldiers of Uncle Hồ' – resilience, sacrifice and responsibility – was clearly reflected in the Vietnamese medical staff, who were healing South Sudan’s most vulnerable communities.

The Vietnamese Level-2 Field Hospital, currently in its seventh rotation, had become a key pillar of medical support in the sector, Yimer said, praising its professionalism, humanitarian approach and role in training local healthcare workers.

Hospital staff perform Vietnamese cultural performances.

Beyond clinical work, the hospital has also been involved in civil-military outreach and coordination with other UN units – efforts that UN officials say have helped strengthen local trust in the mission and reinforce broader messages of international solidarity.

The anniversary was marked alongside a series of practical activities, including health screenings for UN personnel and sporting events such as football, badminton and table tennis, aimed at boosting morale and fostering cooperation among peacekeepers. — VNS

Guests sample Vietnamese dishes at the event.