"Savior" helps survivors thanks to the antidote for poison ivy

Major, Doctor Le Anh Duc and Tri Le Border Guard coordinated with local departments, agencies and organizations to remove the poison ivy plant.

Born into a family with a tradition of teaching in Thanh Long commune (Thanh Chuong), military doctor Le Anh Duc followed the career of a border guard and then became a doctor in the highland villages. Working at Tri Le Border Post (Tri Le border commune, Que Phong district), where Thai, H'Mong, and Kho Mu ethnic groups live, the level of education is still limited, many families have a difficult life, so many people are too poor or have unresolved conflicts and have eaten poison ivy to end their lives. Many young people, when sad about love affairs, or because of being scolded by their parents... have sought death by poison ivy. Worried and tormented by the tragic deaths of some patients who could not be saved due to poison ivy despite being taken to the infirmary by their families, Major and Doctor Duc found a remedy using banana stem water to detoxify poison ivy.

Major, doctor Le Anh Duc shared: “The poison is deadly because it contains extremely toxic alkaloids. To save the victim, we must quickly eliminate the poison from their body by inducing vomiting and gagging. But the most difficult thing is that the poison is fatal very quickly, if the victim drinks a lot of water without being able to eliminate it immediately, it will be too late. Working in the border area for decades, I have witnessed very tragic deaths. The deaths not only leave pain for families and relatives, but also cause shock in public opinion about the psychological and thinking issues of young people. This remedy was discovered from observing the eating habits of the Mong ethnic group in the highland villages. When going to the forest or up the mountain, the Mong people often squeeze water from the trunk of wild banana trees to drink. Medical documents also show that water from banana trees can push toxins out of the human body. From there, the idea of using banana juice for people who eat poison leaves to drink, then using other methods The technique of inducing vomiting and expelling toxins from the victim's body has been successfully researched and tested by me.

Doctor Le Anh Duc (blouse on the right) gives first aid to a victim who was poisoned by eating poisonous leaves and attempted suicide. Photo: LE THACH

Thanks to this precious remedy, many lives have changed, many lives have been revived with new hope. Little girl Tho YD (11 years old) in Pa Khom village is one of the lucky patients saved by doctor Duc after eating poison ivy because of family problems. Immediately after that, her roommate discovered her and called the teacher to take her to the commune health station in a rather critical condition. Immediately, Major Le Anh Duc, who was working at Tri Le commune health station, and his colleagues performed rescue measures according to the folk remedy he himself researched. Thanks to that, Tho YD was saved. The case of Mr. Lo Van X. (born in 1985), in Yen Son village, was the first patient saved by Mr. Duc after eating poison ivy. Recalling the past, Mr. X. shared that at that time, his son and his wife had moved out to live separately, there were conflicts during their life together, and because they had been drinking, they turned to poison ivy to commit suicide. Luckily, he was discovered and taken to the Border Military Medical Station and was given first aid by Dr. Duc and treated with his own medicine. Mr. X. has now become a skilled mason and has a stable life. The locals here consider Dr. Duc a benefactor, a son in the family and affectionately nickname him “The Village Doctor”.

From the banana stem water remedy, from 2016 to now, Dr. Le Anh Duc and his colleagues have cured dozens of people poisoned by aconite. The remedy has also been passed on by Dr. Duc to many colleagues in other areas and spread to people in border areas, helping to save many people who ate poisonous plants. After 25 years of military service, including more than 20 years working in difficult border areas such as Keng Du and Na Ngoi communes (Ky Son district), Tri Le commune (Que Phong district)..., professional military major, Dr. Le Anh Duc always strives to research, explore, and learn to improve his professional qualifications. Dr. Duc also learned the language of his fellow countrymen himself to better serve and take care of the health of the people and his comrades.

Mr. Xong Ba Cha, Vice Chairman of Tri Le Commune People's Committee, said that almost every year, people eat poison ivy. Faced with this situation, the local Party Committee and government have coordinated with Tri Le Border Guard Station and a team of cadres and prestigious people in villages and hamlets to persistently promote propaganda work, raise awareness among people, combined with eradicating and eliminating poison ivy. Thanks to that, the problem of eating poison ivy among people has been limited. The medicine prepared by Dr. Le Anh Duc has saved the lives of many people in the area. In 2 years (2022-2023), 2 junior high and primary school students in the area who ate poison ivy were both saved.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Ho Thanh Quang, Political Commissar of Tri Le Border Post, Dr. Duc's research to find a remedy and provide emergency treatment for patients poisoned by aconite leaves has profound humanitarian significance, brightening the image of the "green-uniformed doctor" in the hearts of the people.

PHAM NGAN

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