The first baby of the Year of the Snake, born on midnight of January 29, 2025 (the first day of the Lunar New Year) at the Hà Nội Obstestrics and Gynaecology Hospital. VNA/VNS Photo Khánh Hoà

HÀ NỘI During the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday (January 25 - February 2), healthcare facilities across the country successfully assisted in the delivery of 16,518 newborns, through both natural births and C-sections.

At exactly 12.01am on January 29, 2025 (the first day of the Lunar New Year Ất Tỵ), Hà Nội Obstetrics Hospital joyfully welcomed the first baby of the new year. The newborn, a baby boy named Nguyễn Nhật Quang, weighed 3.55kg at birth.

Quang is the first child of Nguyễn Văn Hùng and Vũ Thảo Phương, a young couple from Bắc Giang.

Holding her newborn close to her chest, Phương couldn’t hide her emotions. "I wish for my child to always be happy. May he have a bright and warm life, just like his name (Nhật Quang means 'bright daylight' in Vietnamese), and may all the best things come to him," she shared.

On this special occasion, Hà Nội Obstetrics Hospital extended New Year wishes to all newborns and their families, wishing them health, peace and happiness. The hospital also organised a meaningful Tết gift-giving programme for mothers and babies receiving care in the A2 and B3 inpatient departments. A total of 70 carefully prepared gift sets were personally delivered to families, bringing warmth and joy at the turn of the new year.

This heartfelt initiative reflects the hospital’s commitment to care and compassion, offering encouragement and support to families spending the festive season within the hospital’s walls.

On February 2, the Ministry of Health reported that hospitals across the country maintained a four-tier duty system during the holiday, ensuring leadership oversight, hotline support, specialised medical care, administrative and logistical operations, as well as security and self-defence personnel.

Medical facilities remained fully stocked with medicines, blood supplies, intravenous fluids and essential medical equipment, while also being prepared to handle potential disease outbreaks.

As of 9am on February 2, the Ministry of Health received no reports of drug shortages, price hikes or quality issues affecting medical care.

As for infectious diseases, reports from the National Institutes of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pasteur Institutes and local centres for disease control showed that between January 25 and February 2, there were 403 cases of dengue fever, 155 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, and 1,562 cases of suspected measles, with no fatalities recorded.

One additional case of whooping cough was confirmed from a previous report, while no diphtheria cases were detected. Authorities reported no major disease outbreaks or dangerous infections spreading within the community.

From January 25 to February 2, hospitals treated 549,997 emergency cases, with 194,985 hospital admissions. A total of 18,929 surgeries were performed, including 3,301 emergency operations due to accidents.

During this period, 200,084 patients recovered and were discharged. As of February 2, there were still 131,615 patients receiving treatment at medical facilities. VNS