HÀ NỘI – Dozens of children with severe urological birth defects and rare urological conditions in HCM City, Vinh, Hà Nội and Đà Nẵng are receiving free genital surgeries under the ‘Thiện Nhân & Friends’ programme – a project that offers child genital reconstruction surgeries in Việt Nam.

Part of an annual programme that started 18 years ago, these surgeries are being performed from October 18 to November 9 by a volunteer medical team from Italy, England, Egypt and the UAE, led by Italian surgeon Dr Roberto De Castro.

Italian surgeon Dr Roberto De Castro (left) and his team conduct examinations and diagnoses for children with urology and genital defect at the National Pediatric Hospital in Hà Nội on October 25. Photo courtesy of ‘Thiện Nhân & His Friends’ programme

The surgeries take place at Children's Hospital 2 in HCM City, the Nghệ An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital in Vinh City, the National Pediatric Hospital and Việt Đức Hospital in Hà Nội, and the Đà Nẵng Children and Women's Hospital in Đà Nẵng City.

Over decades, Dr De Castro has performed pioneering surgical techniques to effectively treat genital malformations and injuries in both boys and girls to allow them to live full lives.

One of De Castro’s biggest success stories is Phùng Thiện Nhân, who was abandoned by his biological mother at birth in a remote area in the central province of Quảng Nam. When Nhân was found three days later, he was barely alive and had lost most of his genitals and one leg due to a brutal attack by wild animals.

International doctors of the ‘Thiện Nhân & Friends’ programme conduct examinations and diagnoses for children with urology and genital defect at the Việt Đức Hospital in Hà Nội on October 26. Photo courtesy of ‘Thiện Nhân & Friends’ programme

The infant survived the incident and was subsequently adopted by journalist Trần Mai Anh, moving to Hà Nội with his new family. With the support of De Castro, Thiện Nhân received successful reconstructive surgery in January 2011.

His foster mother, Mai Anh, later became the founder of the ‘Thiện Nhân & Friends’ programme which, together with the Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation, pays for surgeries, travel costs and medical supplies for poor Vietnamese children needing genital reconstruction.

Over the years, the 'Thiện Nhân & Friends' programme has conducted 630 surgeries, examinations and diagnoses for 2,000 children, with another 1,000 patients still awaiting treatment.

Dozens of leading experts in paediatric reconstructive and urological surgery from around the world have participated in the programme. In Việt Nam, along with conducting examinations and surgeries, the international specialists also hold scientific workshops and hands-on training sessions with Vietnamese medical staff, sharing their experiences and introducing the latest advanced methods in paediatric urological surgery.

According to founder of the AIP Foundation and co-founder of the ‘Thiện Nhân & Friends’ programme Greig Craft, the mission of the progamme is not just to treat a small number of children with genital disabilities.

International volunteer medical team of the ‘Thiện Nhân & His Friends’ programme pose for photo with medical workers at the Việt Đức Hospital in Hà Nội on October 26. Photo courtesy of ‘Thiện Nhân & His Friends’ programme

“By spreading the inspiration to live and sharing medical knowledge as leading experts come together, we believe that the impact will extend beyond the confines of the programme. We are fortunate that Thiện Nhân, our first patient, shares this vision and has chosen to become a scientist in the future,” he said.

Eighteen years after being found in the jungle and given a second chance at life, Thiện Nhân has entered university. He chose the field of Artificial Intelligence, believing that “AI has the potential to revolutionise healthcare and improve the lives of many people, just as my life was transformed through medical intervention”. From these 18 years of experience, the young man is convinced that “empathy and patience will lead to miraculous achievements”. VNS