The medical gap in the Western region and the journey of bringing modern medicine to the homeland of the "golden hand of gastroenterology"

(Baohatinh.vn) - After more than 35 years of working in the public health system, at an age where he can retire comfortably, Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Van Nang - who is affectionately called by experts as the "banyan tree" in digestive surgery - still decided to continue contributing.

From October 2025, he officially started working at Vinmec Can Tho Hospital, carrying the aspiration to help people in the Mekong Delta receive specialized treatment right in their hometown.

From being tormented by patients to deciding to accompany Vinmec

The West - a region of fertile plains, gentle rivers, and simple people - is facing a paradox: economic life is improving but health care services have not kept up.

Every day, many buses carry patients from Ca Mau , Vinh Long, Can Tho… traveling hundreds of kilometers to Ho Chi Minh City to treat cancer, digestive diseases or complicated surgeries. That journey not only costs money but also wears down the patient’s strength with each step.

“Many patients come to the hospital when the tumor has already spread, making treatment extremely difficult. If detected early, the prognosis will be much better ,” Dr. Nang shared.

He always remembers a case of a male patient over 40 years old, who, because he was subjective about his dull abdominal pain, let the stomach cancer grow beyond the ability to treat it completely.

“ The patient just thought it was a stomach ache and was afraid to go to a doctor far away. When it was discovered, it was too late. If only the patient had come a few months earlier ,” he said.

Not only cancer, diseases of the anorectal region such as hemorrhoids, anorectal abscess, anal fistula, anal fissure... are also increasing rapidly in the West, even in children and teenagers. There are children as young as 10-12 years old who have anal fissure, mixed hemorrhoids... which used to only be seen in middle-aged people.

After more than three decades working at Can Tho Central General Hospital and Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Dr. Nang understands the hardships of people in the West when having to travel long distances for medical treatment. And he felt the need for change.

“ I feel like I still owe something to the West, to the eyes of patients waiting to be treated but having to go all the way to Saigon. When Vinmec Can Tho opened, I knew this was an opportunity to repay that debt ,” he said.

At an age when many colleagues choose to rest or reduce their workload, the doctor decided to join Vinmec Can Tho because of his lingering concern: " What is lacking in the West is not necessarily good doctors, but a modern and synchronous enough medical system for people to be treated on the spot ."

At Vinmec Can Tho, in his role as Director of the Surgery Center, Dr. Nang and his team are building a comprehensive treatment model, from screening, diagnosis, minimally invasive surgery to post-operative care and nutrition.

Vinmec's modern equipment system, strict sterile process, and advanced endoscopic technology help patients in the Western region enjoy treatment quality equivalent to major centers in the country without having to transfer to another facility.

“ Vinmec has a very different medical philosophy: standardizing processes, promoting humanity and always putting patients at the center. That is the reason I want to join ,” he affirmed.

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Van Nang examines a patient

The "fire keepers" of Western medicine

In addition to his professional work, Dr. Nang is particularly passionate about community health education. He realized that many people in the West do not have the habit of regular check-ups and only go to the hospital when they are seriously ill. Therefore, he and his colleagues plan to launch a series of seminars, consultations, and videos instructing on disease prevention, nutrition, and healthy lifestyles.

“ I want people to understand that health is something that can be proactively maintained, not something that can be lost before finding ,” he confided.

According to Dr. Nang, many diseases originate from very common habits such as eating a lot of fried foods, not enough green vegetables, drinking alcohol, staying up late, etc. In particular, he calls on parents to pay more attention to school nutrition and physical activity of children, to prevent obesity, fatty liver, and early diabetes.

“ A healthy child today is the foundation for a healthy Western generation tomorrow ,” he emphasized.

For cancer, he recommends that people at high risk such as those with hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cirrhosis or a family history need regular screening.

“ A small digestive tumor of a few centimeters, if detected early, can be completely cured ,” he said.

After more than 30 years of working, Dr. Pham Van Nang still maintains his passion and enthusiasm - as long as he has patients, he will continue working. He does not consider joining Vinmec Can Tho as the end, but as a new beginning - starting from where he belongs.

“ The West is my homeland, I understand every lifestyle and habit of the people. If I can contribute a little to help them get better medical treatment, that would be the greatest joy,” he confided.

Thanks to people like Dr. Pham Van Nang - who choose to stay, choose to continue, choose to contribute, Vietnamese medicine has more "fire keepers". They are the bridge to narrow the gap in health care between regions, so that people in the West no longer have to travel far to have the opportunity to live a healthy life.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/khoang-trong-y-te-mien-tay-va-hanh-trinh-mang-y-hoc-hien-dai-ve-que-nha-cua-ban-tay-vang-ngoai-tieu-hoa-post298675.html