Life-and-death decision to save fishermen in distress in Truong Sa

Editor's note:

Truong Sa, which General Vo Nguyen Giap once compared to “distant lands, wavering on the waves of the East Sea”, is forever a sacred part of the Fatherland. In the midst of the waves and winds, in the vastness of the ocean, every Vietnamese person carries within him or herself a noble mission: to preserve every inch of land, every wave of the homeland.

There are young men in their twenties, still young, who leave the bustling city to go to Da Dong A island, dedicating their youth to their homeland's sea and islands. There are dedicated commanders, who day and night cherish the aspiration of turning Truong Sa into a green oasis in the middle of the vast ocean. There are talented military doctors, devoted to taking care of the health of soldiers and civilians on the island. And there are also brave and resilient captains who protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands, ready to sacrifice themselves to help fishermen in times of trouble.

It was they, those ordinary yet extraordinary people, who contributed to lighting the fire of love, warming distant lands, connecting Truong Sa with the motherland, so that fishermen can confidently stick to the sea, so that the Fatherland can forever be steadfast at the forefront.

VietNamNet respectfully introduces the series of articles “Truong Sa steadfast in the ocean”, as a profound gratitude to the simple yet noble people who lived and devoted themselves to the Fatherland.

Truong Sa Lon Island, a precious pearl in the middle of the ocean, appeared after a 254-nautical-mile journey. Stepping onto the “capital” of Truong Sa archipelago, we were energized by the bright smiles and firm handshakes of the people and the resilient soldiers of the island. Under the harsh sunlight of the windy land, those smiles dispelled all worries and fatigue after the long journey.

The green path under the shade of banyan, wind-blown, and tra trees… led us to the sound of temple bells ringing and the echoing sound of school drums. All blended together, creating an unusually peaceful feeling.

Truong Sa is now fully equipped with electricity, roads, schools, and stations. A modern medical center is located near the town gate, and a sturdy dock is where fishermen return when the sea is rough.

Truong Sa Town Medical Center, considered the “heart” of the archipelago, is a solid support for fishermen and islanders. This is the largest medical center in the Truong Sa area, staffed by doctors and nurses from Military Hospital 175. Here, officers and soldiers continuously organize medical examinations and treatment, dispense medicine to fishermen in the area and receive seriously ill patients transferred from medical facilities on neighboring small islands.

It is hard to imagine that in the vast ocean there is a medical center fully equipped with ultrasound, X-ray, basic biochemistry, hematology tests...

Recalling the first days of taking on the task of Chief of the Truong Sa Island Infirmary in October 2023, Lieutenant Colonel, Doctor, Doctor Nong Huu Tho smiled proudly: “Before going to the island, I was a doctor in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Military Hospital 175 in Ho Chi Minh City. The busy medical examination and treatment work kept taking me away, Truong Sa at that time seemed close but very far away to me.

But later on, each day, the stories from colleagues who had worked there, told of the constant hardships, of the close military-civilian relationship like in a family, of the need to add medical staff on duty for emergency care... All of these urged and beckoned me to stand up and write a volunteer application to work on a remote island... Everyone only has one life to live and serving the Fatherland is the highest glory. When I told my parents and family about this wish, everyone absolutely supported me. So I set off towards the sea.

I went to Truong Sa in October 2023. It was the first time I knew what seasickness was like. When I set foot on the island, my health was exhausted, but right then, seeing the warm eyes of the fishermen on the island, a great source of vitality seemed to be replenished. My brothers and I immediately got to work, took over the infirmary and maintained stable operations. It can be said that the infirmary has been and always will be a steadfast support for fishermen when they are in danger in the vast ocean."

Doctor Huu Tho recalled that a few weeks ago, Mr. NVH, 36 years old, a worker working with the navy in the Truong Sa area, had pain in the upper abdomen that gradually spread to the right iliac fossa. He was taken to the infirmary on a neighboring island for initial emergency treatment. However, the pain continued to increase, causing everyone to worry that the disease would progress rapidly and have a serious prognosis if not treated promptly.

As soon as the patient arrived, the entire emergency team of Truong Sa Island Infirmary, together with the island commander and related units, supported the patient as soon as possible. The patient was given emergency tests, X-rays, ultrasounds and was diagnosed with acute appendicitis.

Dr. Huu Tho deployed the telemedicine system to remotely consult with experts from Military Hospital 175. The “brain-weighing” decision was made during the “golden time”. The situation was very critical at that time, and there was a proposal to bring the patient ashore. But the infirmary decided to perform emergency surgery on the spot. The patient’s life was now measured in seconds, there was no room for hesitation.

Thanks to the consultation from Military Hospital 175, the Truong Sa Island Infirmary team quickly came up with a treatment plan, prepared and performed emergency surgery. The summer weather was hot, sweat soaked the shirt, but the surgery went smoothly and successfully. The patient's health was stable, he was discharged from the hospital and returned to his sea journey. This is one of many cases that were successfully consulted via telemedicine at Truong Sa Infirmary.

Truong Sa Medical Center receives fishermen with major illnesses such as head, chest, abdomen, limb injuries, etc. In addition, a common group of internal diseases is decompression syndrome when fishermen dive deep into the sea to farm. In these cases, early detection and timely treatment are needed, otherwise it will be life-threatening.

Not long ago, a father and son of fishermen suffered from decompression sickness while farming in a neighboring island. The medical team quickly performed all the first aid and emergency care as well as consulted with experts from Military Hospital 175 to have timely and accurate treatment such as: Oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids, electrolyte replacement and proper nutrition... The doctors and medical staff of the infirmary flexibly applied the available equipment along with their knowledge and experience to quickly handle the situation. The father and son of fishermen returned to their journey, confidently going out to sea.

After graduating from high school, Dr. Nong Huu Tho enrolled at the Military Medical Academy, majoring in general medicine, and joined the army from there. After defending his doctoral thesis, he volunteered for a mission in Truong Sa.

“Going to the island, changing the environment and living habits, how did you feel at first?”

“Honestly, I was mentally prepared to accept it. I had to adapt to the harsh climate and environment, with a creative spirit. Patients need doctors everywhere, but in the middle of the vast ocean, perhaps patients need us more. Saving people has a special sacred meaning,” Dr. Tho shared.

According to Dr. Tho, Truong Sa Medical Center is the last line of medical examination and treatment in Truong Sa. Therefore, doctors and medical staff try their best to provide the best treatment so that fishermen have enough health to return to their crew and continue to go to sea.

“Fishermen have to be away from their families at sea for many days, and also have to leave the ship to go to the infirmary for treatment, so they lack affection. For the infirmary staff, fishermen are compatriots, the presence of their homeland. We cook rice, porridge, and take care of patients like our own relatives. Mental care is also a medicine to help patients recover quickly,” Dr. Tho shared.

When he was a medical student, Dr. Tho and his friends taught foreign languages at a children's shelter. Now in Truong Sa, Dr. Huu Tho is also supporting teachers on the island to open more English classes for students there. There are children who love to learn English and have very good pronunciation. Seeing the children's response, Dr. Tho is even more active in "preparing lesson plans" to make English as easy as possible. When asked about the reason for opening more English classes, he explained: "I just want to do something meaningful where I am."