A medical staff examines a wounded veteran at the Long Đất Centre for Nursing Wounded Soldiers and Meritorious People in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photos Đoàn Mạnh Dương

HCM CITY — At the Long Đất Centre for Nursing Wounded Soldiers and Meritorious People in HCM City's Long Hải Commune, the nation’s debt of gratitude is reflected not in grand gestures, but in the daily, round-the-clock care provided to wounded veterans.

Through persistent medical support and devotion, the centre’s staff turn the State’s preferential policies into a warm, practical reality every single day.

For decades, the routine for medical staff at the facility has begun early every morning.

From dispensing medication and checking vital signs to guiding severely disabled veterans through physical therapy and preparing tailored meals, every task is carried out with patience and deep empathy.

According to reports from the centre, 100 per cent of the wounded and sick soldiers under its care undergo health monitoring twice a day and receive prescribed medication promptly, with emergency medical response maintained 24 hours a day.

For severe or complex cases, the centre coordinates closely with top-tier hospitals, including Military Hospital 175, Chợ Rẫy Hospital, and the Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Psychiatric Hospital, to ensure specialised treatment and long-term rehabilitation.

Over the years, it has maintained an unblemished record of medical safety without professional errors.

Beyond medical treatment, total well-being is treated as a core duty of national remembrance.

Special diets are designed for individual health conditions, while the lush campus is kept pristine.

A variety of daily social activities, including newspaper reading, TV watching, chess playing, and light exercise, are held to bring joy to the elders.

The routine also aims to alleviate chronic pain from past war injuries and old age.

Trần Thị Mai Cúc, a first-class wounded soldier who joined the revolution in 1966 in Division 240 (Military Region 5), considers the centre her second home.

Recalling a recent emergency where she suffered acute respiratory distress, Cúc said the centre’s medical team provided continuous care for 16 days to save her life, tending to everything from medication to daily meals.

For Nguyễn Công Thắng, a veteran who lost both legs at the age of 19 in the Cambodian battlefield, the greatest reassurance during his 43 years at the centre is knowing that help is always at hand.

"Every room has an emergency call bell linked to the medical station. Even in the middle of the night, doctors and nurses arrive immediately to assist us. They treat us like their own family," Thắng said.

A nurse helps a wounded soldier adjust settings on a massage therapy chair at the Long Đất Centre in HCM City.

A lifelong commitment to honouring sacrifice

Established in 1977, the Long Đất Centre for Nursing Wounded Soldiers and Meritorious People originally cared for nearly 500 severely wounded soldiers from across the country.

Over nearly half a century, its scope has expanded to include organised health recovery retreats for revolutionary contributors and their relatives nationwide.

In the first half of 2026 alone, the centre hosted nearly 700 meritorious people for wellness retreats, recording a 100 per cent satisfaction rate regarding facilities, service quality, and staff dedication.

A delegation from Centre 286 under the Cyberspace Operations Command visits wounded veterans at the Long Đất Centre on the 79th War Invalids and Martyrs' Day.

This high level of care stems from generations of medical staff who view their work as a sacred duty rather than just a job.

Medical assistant Đinh Văn Quang, who has worked at the facility for 23 years, said having both a father and father-in-law who are wounded veterans gives him a deep personal understanding of the physical and mental burdens the residents bear.

"Every veteran has a unique medical history and requires infinite patience. I have never felt discouraged," Quang said, recalling how the team successfully extended the life of a quadriplegic veteran for more than two years after higher-level hospitals had exhausted treatment options. 

Dr. Tống Đức Bình, level-one specialist and director of the centre, said honouring veterans means maintaining a strictly patient-centric approach.

“Doctors visit every room daily to monitor health indicators, manage bedsores, and adjust treatment plans according to sleep and dietary patterns.” 

The nation's ongoing gratitude is also reflected in the frequent visits from senior leaders and socio-political organisations.

In July, National Assembly chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn and General Nguyễn Trọng Nghĩa, director of the General Political Department of the Việt Nam People’s Army, visited the centre to convey the nation's respect and encourage the veterans and staff.

During his visit on July 19, Trần Thanh Mẫn expressed deep emotion over the sacrifices made by the veterans and commended the centre's long-standing efforts.

He asked the centre to continue its traditions and enhance both the material and spiritual lives of the residents.

Nearly eight decades since the first War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947), the nation's gratitude to those with meritorious service continues to be reaffirmed—not only through progressive state policies, but through the quiet, steadfast dedication of those who make every single day a day of tribute. — VNS