Medical staff at Trường Sa Town medical centre treat an injured fisherman. — VNA/VNS Photo

KHÁNH HÒA — For thousands of fishermen casting their nets far from shore, survival hinges not only on their skills at sea but on a crucial, often unseen safety net: the medical care provided by military doctors stationed across the archipelago.

The medical centre in Trường Sa Town, part of the Trường Sa special administrative zone in Khánh Hòa Province, stands as a beacon of modern healthcare in one of Việt Nam’s most isolated regions.

Fully equipped and staffed by highly trained personnel, the centre delivers prompt treatment to soldiers, residents and fishermen alike.

In April, fisherman Vĩnh Văn Non from Gia Lai Province experienced that lifeline first-hand. While working offshore, his right hand was crushed in an accident. His crewmates rushed him ashore, where doctors at the Trường Sa medical centre swiftly stabilised his injuries.

Thanks to a telemedicine system linking the island to Military Hospital 175 in Hồ Chí Minh City, specialists guided the on-site team through tendon suturing, bone fixation and wound treatment.

Their swift and coordinated response saved his hand.

“I am deeply grateful,” Non told Tin Tức (News) online newspaper. “I was given medicine and devoted care by the soldiers here.”

In late August, fisherman Nguyễn Văn Lai of Quảng Ngãi Province suddenly fell unconscious while working on his boat. He was rushed to the centre showing signs of a severe stroke. Island doctors immediately provided emergency care, controlling blood pressure, reducing brain swelling and conducting vital scans while conferring in real time with colleagues at Military Hospital 175.

“When admitted, his condition was critical with high risk of progressing to brain swelling,” said Captain Nguyễn Xuân Cường, a doctor at the centre. With careful monitoring and coordinated care, Lai was able to recover.

Such stories are far from rare.

Since 2024, the centre has treated more than 2,000 patients and managed over 60 severe emergencies.

Equipped with ventilators, anaesthesia systems, ultrasound, X-ray and ECG machines, it now mirrors mainland hospitals in capacity. Complex cases are addressed through telemedicine consultations, reducing the need for costly and risky evacuations to the mainland.

For military doctors, the mission is more than duty.

“Our role here is guided not only by professional expertise but also by a calling from the heart,” said Trịnh Ngọc Hiệp, Deputy Director of Khánh Hòa’s Department of Health.

“This dedication helps sustain the vitality of Trường Sa.”

As part of efforts to advance the maritime healthcare development programme to 2030, Khánh Hòa Province has invested in upgraded facilities, specialised training and digital technology, thereby strengthening services across the islands.

In addition, doctors from leading mainland hospitals are regularly dispatched to local clinics to provide timely and professional care in emergencies.

Colonel Phạm Văn Thọ, Political Commissar of Brigade 146, Naval Region 4, stressed that fishermen working in Trường Sa waters can rely on free medical examinations and treatment.

“Despite the hardships of life at sea, military doctors remain steadfast in safeguarding public health,” he said. — VNS