Huynh Tan Tai, a young man on end-stage dialysis in Thanh An island commune, passed away.

Without the support of the motorbike taxi drivers and boat owners, Mr. Tai would not have been able to get on the boat and go ashore for dialysis - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

The sad news was just announced to Tuoi Tre Online by the family and doctors directly monitoring Huynh Tan Tai's dialysis journey.

Doctor Doan Ngoc Hue - Director of Can Gio District Medical Center and Doctor Luan Thanh Truong - Head of Thanh An Medical Station, said that Mr. Tai passed away on the afternoon of May 31 after a long battle with kidney failure and severe heart failure complications.

For nearly a month now, he has not had enough strength to undergo dialysis in Can Gio and has had to go to Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital for long-term treatment.

Mr. Tai sits helplessly in his room due to kidney failure - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

About 9 months ago, the story of the "arduous journey to medical treatment" of the people of Thanh An island commune appeared in Tuoi Tre Online newspaper. The story attracted attention because the special character was Huynh Tan Tai (34 years old) - one of three patients with end-stage renal failure on this island commune.

The journey to the mainland for dialysis was a torture for Mr. Tai. From the previous afternoon, his relatives had to carry him onto a boat to the mainland to rent a place to stay. All night long, the 34-year-old man anxiously waited for the morning to catch a bus to Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital (District 5) for dialysis.

It took him 25 hours to go there and back, or two days if calculated daily. Three times a week, he spent six days on dialysis, which was no different from torture with end-stage renal failure.

And perhaps Mr. Tai is just one of the few who tried to overcome the adversities of time, distance and economic conditions to undergo dialysis. Some people gave up, lived with the disease and passed away in the torment of the disease.

To get dialysis, from the previous afternoon, Mr. Tai and his mother had to go to Can Thanh town to rent a room to sleep overnight, and at 4:30 a.m., sit on the sidewalk waiting for the bus to the city. For many years, the journey has been like this - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

"I just hope that Can Gio District Hospital will soon have a dialysis machine. That is also the best way to help the islanders save energy and money going back and forth to the city like now," Mr. Tai shared with Tuoi Tre Online reporters 9 months ago. And that wish of Mr. Tai has come true after nearly two months of wishing.

From the story about his journey to the city for dialysis posted on Tuoi Tre Online, Le Van Thinh Hospital "volunteered" to set up a hemodialysis unit at Can Gio District Medical Center.

Not only Mr. Tai, since then, nearly 20 kidney failure patients have received dialysis near home, reducing the time and money spent traveling to the city.

"We tried our best within our ability. We are very sad about Tai's passing. We are grateful to Tai, the dialysis patients are grateful to Tai. Thanks to Tai's story, more than 20 patients have benefited from the dialysis unit in Can Gio" - Doctor Tu Kim Thanh - Head of the Artificial Kidney Department, Le Van Thinh Hospital - emotionally shared.

Severe heart failure on renal failure

Talking to Tuoi Tre Online about Tai's condition, Dr. Vu Thi Minh Hoa, head of the kidney and dialysis department at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital, said that Tai had both end-stage kidney failure and an underlying heart failure condition.

Dr. Thanh also said that Mr. Tai is not the most severe kidney failure patient among the dialysis patients in Can Gio. However, he is the patient with the most severe heart failure and only needs fluid overload or a small pneumonia infection to cause acute pulmonary edema.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/huynh-tan-tai-chang-trai-chay-than-giai-doan-cuoi-o-xa-dao-thanh-an-qua-doi-20240601171650859.htm