HÀ NỘI — Đức Giang General Hospital launched a medical programme to provide free checkups, consultation and endoscopy surgery to patients with digestion diseases on Monday in Hà Nội.

Prof. Joel Leroy, a leading French expert in digestion endoscopy, is participating in the programme. He was the first surgeon to perform colorectal surgery without scarring the patient’s abdominal wall.

Prof. Leroy will examine and perform surgeries on patients with dangerous digestion cancers, with all medical service expenses supported by the Hà Nội People’s Committee and Đức Giang Hospital with technical support of medical firm Olympus Company.

The Frenchman also taught the latest techniques in digestion endoscopy, especially minimally invasive surgery, to Đức Giang hospital surgeons to help the hospital master new surgery techniques and improve service quality.

“I will be here to train Đức Giang Hospital’s doctors step by step and I think they will be updated with the new knowledge that I will teach,” said Prof. Leroy.

“The techniques I teach are very new, even in France and the world. So, doctors here need time to master new techniques and to use new facilities, especially minimally invasive surgery,” said Leroy.

Prof. Leroy. — VNS/Photo Thanh Hải

Leroy said that training on endoscopic surgery, especially minimally invasive surgery, was a new surgical trend in the world. In France, 89 per cent of digestion patients have had minimally invasive surgeries. 

“I witnessed many patients suffering colorectal cancer in hospitals of Việt Nam. Therefore, I think the technique is necessary especially in Việt Nam,” added Prof. Leroy.

“This is the first time our doctors have performed this complicated technique of digestion endoscopy surgery. We sent doctors to the Saint Paul Hospital for training new digestion endoscopy techniques over the past two years in preparation for the surgery today,” said Đức Giang General Hospital deputy director Lê Anh Tuấn.

Tuấn said his hospital received about 20 colorectal cancer cases each month. Previously, Đức Giang Hospital had to send many serious cases to higher-level hospitals for treatment due to a lack of medical facilities and human resources.

"The advanced technique of digestion endoscopy means a lot for local hospital like Đức Giang. From now on, our patients will have chance to receive high-tech medical services instead of going to higher-level hospitals or oveseas medical facilities for treatment," said Tuấn.    

Leroy will support the Đức Giang Hospital’s digestion examination and surgery programme for two years. Leroy currently teaches at the Civil Hospital of the University of Strasbourg, France. 

He has trained more than 10,000 endoscopy surgeons in the world, including many Vietnamese doctors. Last year, he was presented the Friendship Order of the State President for his contribution to the health sector in Việt Nam. — VNS