Dr. Nguyen Manh Khanh examines children at the Chiêm Hóa Regional Medical Centre. — Photo courtesy of the Sala Club

TUYÊN QUANG — Marking its 15th anniversary, the Sala Humanitarian Club has carried out a major charity drive in Chiêm Hóa Commune, the northern mountainous province of Tuyên Quang, from December 5-7, offering medical care, surgeries and new facilities for communities in some of the province’s most remote areas.

With the theme 'Spreading love', the annual programme delivered free medical examinations, surgical treatment and the construction of a new school to support families facing hardship in challenging parts of Tuyên Quang.

Over three days, a team of doctors and specialists from Hà Nội-based Việt Đức Friendship Hospital worked with the Chiêm Hóa Regional Medical Centre to screen nearly 100 cases and perform surgery on 18 patients with complex motor disabilities and long-term sequelae.

Dr Hà Văn Linh, Director of Chiêm Hóa Regional Medical Centre, said: “This is the first time Chiêm Hóa Regional Medical Centre has welcomed a group of highly skilled surgeons, the elite of the surgical field. The programme not only cures many people but also brings new faith and hope to people in remote areas, ethnic minority areas and those with financial and travel difficulties.”

Dr Nguyễn Mạnh Khánh, Deputy Director of Việt Đức Friendship Hospital and Chairman of the Sala Humanitarian Club, said: "The greatest value of medical humanitarian work is to help patients have the opportunity to return to work, support their families and integrate into the community. That is the motivation for the Sala Humanitarian Club to maintain its activities for the past 15 years."

According to Dr Khánh, more than 3,000 patients have been examined and about 800 have undergone surgery locally or been transferred to Việt Đức Hospital for further intervention by the Sala Humanitarian Club over the past 15 years.

“Each cured case not only brings a better quality of life to the patient but also opens up special integration opportunities for those in difficult circumstances in remote, mountainous and border areas,” Dr Khánh said.

Delegates inaugurate the Khau Luông - Khau Làng school in Kiến Thiết Commune in Tuyên Quang Province. — Photo courtesy of the Sala Club

In parallel with its medical work, the Sala Humanitarian Club has inaugurated the Khau Luông–Khau Làng school in Kiến Thiết Commune, one of the most disadvantaged areas of Tuyên Quang Province.

The project comprises two study classrooms built entirely from socialised resources contributed by the Sala Humanitarian Club and its benefactors. A local household donated the 2,000 sq m construction site.

Dr Phan Bá Hải, Deputy Head of the Department of Upper Limb Surgery and Sports Medicine at Việt Đức Friendship Hospital, said: "We heal our children in the operating room but it is education that heals the future. A new school means more doors open for children in the highlands so that they have the opportunity to go further than their own circumstances."

Lê Hồng Việt, Chairman of Kiến Thiết Commune People’s Committee, said: "Kiến Thiết Commune is a particularly difficult commune. This project is extremely meaningful, not only helping teachers and students have a better place to teach and study but also contributing to the completion of the criteria for facilities in the new rural construction process."

Founded in 2010 by Professor Ngô Văn Toàn and a group of dedicated physicians and journalists, the Sala Humanitarian Club has grown into a compassionate network that brings together surgery, education and public service. Beyond surgical work, the club provides travel grants, meals, rehabilitation support, medical equipment and training for provincial staff. — VNS