"Vietnam Medical Record" is full of humanity

Translator Nguyen Phuc An was born in 1984 in Long Xuyen, An Giang. He is currently a lecturer and won the Encouragement Prize of the 7th National Book Award in 2024 with the work "Cai luong: Research and discussion - Talking about Cai luong with a set of Cai luong plays".

The book records the journey of Dr. Truong Vu Tu (from Taiwan, China) volunteering to fight the COVID-19 epidemic in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and treating across Vietnam in 2021. Readers will join the team of doctors and nurses to experience the journey every day with jobs related to human life and the thoughts and emotions of the doctor in difficult circumstances. The author simply describes the science of life, about fighting diseases and epidemics, expressing the heart and anxiety of a doctor, sometimes very urgent, sometimes calm, sharing with everyone to make life better in isolation; always wholeheartedly taking care of patients to recover and hoping that the epidemic will soon pass.

The book is 268 pages long with 94 articles, including "Why did I choose to come to Vietnam?", "The epidemic created "Romeo and Juliet", "Advantages of quarantine", "Doctors treat remotely", "The complexity of international treatment", "We are a family of doctors worldwide", "The first day of the vaccine pilot - the victory day of V-day/Vacation day", "Lessons that the epidemic has taught us", "Going through hardships with Vietnam", "Treatment across Vietnam", "Lighting up the night light to fight the epidemic", "We must not close the door", "Ambulance sirens in the night", "When the person you love is infected with COVID-19", "Try to breathe to save your breath"... Each article gives readers the feeling that the medical team that saves people is always full of love and compassion for patients.

❝Author Truong Vu Tu was born in Changhua, Taiwan (China). Graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of National Yangming University, he became a resident physician at Ren'ai Hospital (Taipei), then received a scholarship, completed his master's and doctorate degrees at Harvard University (USA), then returned to Vietnam to teach at Yangming Medical College, and concurrently held the position of Secretary General of the Taiwan Medical Association. He is active in the fields of medicine and research. In March 2021, he came to Shing Mark University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital (Vietnam), taking on the role of Deputy Director of the Institute of Therapeutic Administration. Works published abroad: "Victory over radiation" (2007); "International health" (2010); "Reality - Practical knowledge and health capacity - Translation" (2014). He has written more than 300 academic articles at home and abroad.

Dr. Nguyen The Hung, former Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, said: With this work, Dr. Truong Vu Tu very realistically describes life as if it had stopped during the epidemic. Many families have the opportunity to be together, but there are also families who are always searching and waiting for information about their loved ones, not knowing whether they are alive or dead, not knowing where they are. Dr. Truong mentioned all classes that he encountered in times of "boiling oil and fire"; he discovered that in times of danger, there still exists the beauty of everyday life, caring for the elderly, especially children who are "priority" to be protected.

Reading the book, readers can feel the confidence of Dr. Truong Vu Tu from the years of supporting until the complete control of the SARS epidemic, but until COVID-19 broke out and spread around the world, even doctors could not avoid the times when they feared that human strength was limited in the face of the pandemic. However, in the hearts of the medical team in Vietnam as well as around the world, this is a battle that cannot be avoided: "In the situation of COVID-19 raging so fiercely like this, like a huge wave crashing in, if we still have a lifebuoy in hand, if we can still add another bed in the hospital room, if time allows us to listen to their painful worries... we cannot refuse", said Dr. Truong Vu Tu.

Turning through the pages of Dr. Truong Vu Tu's COVID-19 treatment journey from the end of March to the end of September 2021 in the context of the complicated epidemic in the country, the doctor admired Vietnam even more, and admired the resilience of the Vietnamese people who did not surrender to adversity. This time, the fight against the epidemic was indeed difficult, but here the love of compatriots always shines, taking refuge and protecting each other in times of difficulty and illness.

Each page of the book is imbued with the kindness, friendship, and love of Dr. Truong Vu Tu for Vietnam, which in difficult times still lights up the belief that after the storm, peace will come. He respects the tradition of patriotism from the time of the Hung Kings to the peaceful and independent Vietnam today. Because of his understanding and respect, he wrote this book so that readers can see the tradition of patriotism, resilience, and mutual support of the Vietnamese people in any circumstance.

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/-viet-nam-y-ky-dam-tinh-nguoi-a184917.html