Strong rear, strong frontline

In 2015, Bach Mai Hospital received a request from the Naval Medical Institute to provide professional support on artificial kidneys. The leadership of Bach Mai Hospital determined that this was not just a matter of cooperation and technical support, but a special political mission, directly contributing to the cause of protecting the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

Since then, Bach Mai Hospital has supported the navy medical staff in training, transferring techniques, improving professional capacity, and managing 2,900 military medical staff, especially new techniques in the fields of: Emergency resuscitation, cardiovascular, digestive, renal and urinary, musculoskeletal, diagnostic imaging...

Leaders of the Ministry of Health visited, presented gifts and listened to doctors at Sinh Ton Island Infirmary report on health care for soldiers and people on the island, April 2025. Photo: THAI BINH

Associate Professor, Dr. Dao Xuan Co, Director of Bach Mai Hospital shared: Over the past 10 years, with the spirit of "strong rear, steadfast frontline", more than 4,500 officers, doctors and nurses of Bach Mai Hospital have accompanied and fought side by side with the naval medical force through hundreds of business trips, thousands of professional training sessions, technical transfer, medical examination and treatment organization (KCB) and healtheducation communication. More than 10,000 naval officers and soldiers have benefited from the cooperation programs between the two sides; nearly 600 techniques in various specialties have been effectively transferred; 42,000 books, documents and medical equipment have been transferred to naval units. That is a vivid demonstration of the bond between doctors and the Navy; between professional responsibility and the sacred duty of protecting the Fatherland.

Not only Bach Mai Hospital, many end-line hospitals such as Viet Duc Hospital, Central Endocrinology Hospital, Hanoi Medical University Hospital... regularly coordinate closely with the Navy to provide health care for soldiers and people in coastal and island areas, achieving many positive results. From 2015 to present, the Navy has received much support from the Ministry of Health and hospitals in terms of human resources, infrastructure, and medical equipment. Every year, the Ministry of Health sends more than 100 leading experts to visit and work with the islands in Truong Sa, DK1 platform, demonstrating the affection and responsibility of the rear, the mainland with soldiers and people in remote coastal and island areas...

Colonel Cao Van Son, Deputy Head of Logistics and Engineering of the Navy, said: With the coordination and support of hospitals and agencies of the Ministry of Health, over the past 10 years, military doctors on the islands and DK1 platform have examined and provided free medicine to more than 81,500 people; admitted 3,623 cases; handled 1,872 emergency cases; performed surgery on 1,657 cases; 151 severe cases were transported by military aircraft to the mainland for treatment; promptly treated severe cases, limiting sequelae and complications. Organized consultations and provided professional guidance via the telemedicine system between hospitals and 9 island clinics for 1,044 patients to ensure quality, timeliness and efficiency. In recent years, the naval medical team has coordinated with hospitals of the Ministry of Health to organize periodic health check-ups for soldiers, workers and people in the Truong Sa area and DK1 platform; thereby contributing to enhancing the responsibility of the medical team and doctors to the Fatherland, creating peace of mind and trust for soldiers and people.

Continue close coordination, improve medical capacity at sea and islands

In recent years, agencies and units of the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Health have effectively implemented Decision No. 317/QD-TTg dated February 7, 2013 of the Prime Minister approving the Project "Development of Vietnam's marine and island healthcare to 2020" and Decision No. 658/QD-TTg dated June 8, 2023 of the Prime Minister approving the Program for Development of Vietnam's marine and island healthcare to 2030. The Prime Minister's decisions have created a legal corridor for investment and sustainable development of marine and island healthcare, contributing to building an increasingly solid national defense posture associated with an increasingly solid people's security posture in coastal and island areas.

Navy medical staff examine and treat fishermen. Photo: THANH TAM

Implementing the Prime Minister's decisions, many practical and meaningful activities have been effectively implemented by both sides, including the program "Staying at sea with fishermen" with many contents, such as: Mobilizing donations to buy medicine cabinets to give to offshore fishing unions; Vietnam Young Doctors Association organizes medical examination and treatment for tens of thousands of people living on island districts and island communes and supports medical equipment, technology transfer to medical examination and treatment facilities on the islands...

In order to concentrate military and civilian medical capacity to ensure emergency and transportation of people and armed forces in sea and island areas, the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Health have coordinated with the People's Committees of provinces and cities with island districts to establish 5 military and civilian medical centers in island districts. Implement the work of combining military and civilian medical forces in organizing emergency, transportation, and medical treatment in sea and island areas. Gradually equip oxygen generation and charging systems, telemedicine systems connected to central hospitals to direct emergency and patient treatment on the islands.

Implementing the coordination regulations, the Minister of National Defense issued a circular (2016) on the Regulations on organizing emergency transportation of injured and sick people in sea areas, islands, remote areas by military aircraft (amended and supplemented in 2020). Thereby, it has promoted high efficiency in directing expertise from the mainland to the Truong Sa area, DK1 platform. Contributing to helping soldiers and people in the Truong Sa area, DK1 platform access advanced and specialized techniques; improving the quality of medical examination, emergency, treatment; reducing the rate of transportation to the mainland.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Dao Xuan Co, the survey results of Bach Mai Hospital's joint programs for developing marine and island healthcare showed that 100% of the officers and soldiers surveyed assessed the activities of the joint program as very necessary; 98% were very satisfied; 87% successfully applied them in practice at their units. This shows that the joint program is very effective, bringing practical value.

Navy medical staff examine and treat fishermen. Photo: THANH TAM

Associate Professor, Dr. Dao Xuan Co affirmed that Bach Mai Hospital will continue to cooperate and develop marine and island medicine, especially providing professional support and technical transfer to naval military medicine. The focus is on supporting the Naval Medical Institute to become a complete frontline general hospital; training in first aid, emergency care, intensive emergency resuscitation, providing professional support for the development of specialties; training and transferring techniques to core cadres according to practical requirements; expanding connections with hospitals, promoting the strength of the entire people in developing marine and island medicine. Bach Mai Hospital is committed to continuing to closely coordinate, be an extension, and a solid medical support for naval military medicine in performing the task of protecting the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

In order to effectively implement the contents related to the development of marine and island medicine according to the coordination program between the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Health in the new period, the Navy has determined to promote the combination of military and civilian medicine and effectively implement the combined military and civilian medicine program. Regularly review, adjust and have regulations on military and civilian medicine coordination in preventing, combating and overcoming the consequences of emergency situations such as epidemics, disasters, etc. The leaders of the Navy's Logistics and Engineering Department proposed that the Ministry of Health continue to complete the system of legal documents on medical work in caring for and protecting the health of soldiers and people in coastal and island areas in the new period. Arrange medical forces to participate in the organization of the establishment at island infirmaries in the Truong Sa archipelago under the military and civilian medicine program on islands with infirmaries and military and civilian medical centers to ensure increasingly better health care for soldiers and people.

MINH MANH

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/xay-dung-quan-doi/hieu-qua-cao-tu-trach-nhiem-thieng-lieng-voi-tuyen-dau-to-quoc-831496