The L2FH Rotation 3 deployed a surgical team to support the MSF Hospital in carrying out the surgery, as permitted by the U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). This was the first time the L2FH has completed such a professional task for a hospital in South Sudan.
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Doctors of L2FH Rotation 3 conduct the surgery. |
Earlier, on January 3, after being requested by the MSF Hospital, the L2FH’s Director Board had assigned its Department of Surgery to mobilize a surgical team to the MSF Hospital for consultation. The team included Department of Surgery’s Head, Major Nguyen Thanh Nam, Chief Surgeon Senior Lieutenant Tong Van Anh, Captain Nguyen Van Tu, and Captain Ngo Quoc Hoan along with anesthesiologists. A 22-year-old South Sudanese female patient who was 35-week pregnant for the second time, was suffering from rupture of membranes and prolonged labor, but the baby’s head was unable to move through the birth canal, causing fetal distress. Doctor Tong Van Anh considered this a difficult case, requiring an urgent cesarean section due to fetal failure that can cause fetal heart failure.
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Chief Surgeon Senior Lieutenant Tong Van Anh (left) |
The mother had severe kyphoscoliosis due to the sequelae of spinal tuberculosis, causing difficulties during surgery. Therefore, the anesthesiologist team had to use endotracheal anesthesia with rudimentary ventilator system while manually squeezing the bag for over two hours during the surgery. A four-kilogram baby boy was then delivered, but he did not cry. The doctors then squeezed a bag to help him breathe normally. As a result, his first cry made the whole surgical team very happy.
The surgery ended successfully thanks to the close coordination among the two hospital’s doctors.
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Doctor Tong Van Anh anh the baby boy |
Reportedly, the L2FH’s Rotation 3 is tasked with always being ready to support urgent surgery for MSF Hospital, which is responsible for medical examination and treatment for over 100,000 people in the Bentiu refugee camp. Like many other places in the world, the COVID-19 variant Omicron is causing an outbreak of the disease again in Bentiu, infecting many medical staff, including the surgical team of the MSF Hospital.
According to Doctor Nguyen Thanh Nam, despite the shortage of personnel, the Vietnamese L2FH sent medical staff to support the MSF Hospital as soon as possible.
Mr. Pou James, a staff at the operating room of the MSF Hospital who was also present during the surgery, shared that he was impressed by the professionalism and wholeheartedness of the Vietnamese L2FH surgical team.
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Doctors of L2FH Rotation 3 and the MSF Hospital after the surgery |
On this occasion, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the UNMISS sent a letter, praising the contribution of the Vietnamese L2FH’s medical personnel and urging them to continue assisting the MSF Hospital in the time to come, contributing to the effective operation of UNMISS.
For their part, the Vietnamese L2FH’s Director Board always considers supporting the MSF Hospital in necessary cases, within their capacity, one of the most important factors in affirming the Vietnamese doctors and nurses’ competence, while making important contribution to establishing good relationships and building the image of the Vietnamese L2FH at UNMISS.
Translated by Minh Anh