Doctors take a blood sample from a child at Thanh Khương Kindergarten. — VNA/VNS Photo Diệp Trương

HÀ NỘI — Last year witnessed significant achievements in Việt Nam’s healthcare sector, bringing hope for more patients. However, severe medical incidents raised the alarm of poor management that needed to be improved to ensure every citizen can live a healthy and happy life.

1. First successful simultaneous lung transplant – heart surgery and liver – kidney transplant

On December 17, doctors at the Hà Nội-based Việt–Đức Hospital aced two special transplants.

In the first case, a lung transplant and open heart surgery were performed at the same time. The procedure took 12 hours. 

During the 12-hour liver and kidney transplant, doctors had to replace kidneys. This is one of the most difficult transplant techniques, requiring the participation of experienced experts in both liver and kidney transplant.

2. Fetal intervention

Fetal intervention is the most innovative technique in maternal-fetal medicine. Hà Nội Maternity Hospital became the first public hospital to successfully apply the technique for 20 pregnant women with twins and twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.

The first baby intervened was born healthily on December 14.

Previously, when a mother had fetal diseases, a baby would usually die in the uterus or suffer severe impairments. 

3. 15 organ transplants in a week

Việt – Đức Hospital has set a record by performing 15 organ transplants in a week with the help of 300 doctors and nurses, using organs donated by three people.

4. Two lung-transplant patients discharged

On October 4, a second patient who had undergone lung transplant surgery was discharged from the Việt–Đức Hospital. He can now walk normally without assistance.

The first patient to undergo the procedure in 2018 also recovered after ten months.

5. Miracle of a heroic mum with cancer

On May 22, surgery was performed at K Hospital with the co-operation of doctors from K Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital for final-stage cancer patient Nguyễn Thị Liên from Hà Nam Province to save her 31-week-old baby.

After surgery, Liên fell into a coma.

She later recovered and was reunited with her son – Bình An meaning – “serene”, after two months.

6. Pork tapeworm incident at Bắc Ninh Kindergarten

In March, thousands of parents in Bắc Ninh Province took their children to the Hà Nội-based Hospital for Tropical Diseases and National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology for pork tapeworm tests after 57 children from Thanh Khương Kindergarten were diagnosed with parasites after eating pork supplied by Hương Thành Company.

The Bắc Ninh Department of Health offered free blood tests at 19 kindergartens.

The slow response of the health sector confused families and cost them billions of đồng for unnecessary tests.

6. Incident in obstetric anesthesia
Two pregnant women died and another was left in a serious condition after being administered an anesthetic containing Bupivacaine in Đà Nẵng City in November. The Ministry of Health halted the supply of the anaesthestic and asked medical facilities to use other alternatives.

7. Alarming cosmetic surgery complications

Many cosmetic surgery complications happened in 2019. In October alone, four cases related to breast augmentation, facelifts and abdominal liposuction were reported, killing two people.

The rising demand for beauty treatment along with poor management created loopholes for clinics and led to deadly incidents. — VNS