"Vietnam Medical Record": Notes on a doctor's journey treating Covid-19 in Vietnam

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 encounter the daily journey, thoughts, and emotions, sometimes sad and helpless, sometimes happy, of a person, a doctor with many funny, strange and imaginative ideas, including romance, tragedy and comedy intertwined.

The author simply expresses the science of life, the fight against disease and epidemics, expressing the heart and anxiety of a doctor, sometimes extremely urgent, sometimes calm, always sharing with everyone to make life better in extremely harsh isolation conditions, lacking everything; always wholeheartedly taking care of the patient's health to recover, anxiously hoping that the epidemic will soon pass, although "uncertain" but "always hopeful".

From the book, Dr. Nguyen The Hung (former Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health ) shared: "With this work, Dr. Truong Vu Tu describes very realistically the life as if it has stopped, Ho Chi Minh City has never been so quiet but so beautiful! Many families have the opportunity to be together but there are also families who are always searching, waiting for information about loved ones, not knowing if they are alive or dead? Not knowing where they are? Even though this is peacetime, the fight against this virus is so tragic, anxiously waiting for loved ones as if they are somewhere far away, not knowing when they will see each other again!".

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Flipping through the pages of Dr. Truong Vu Tu's Covid-19 treatment journey, from the end of March to September 2021, in the context of the complicated developments of the epidemic, the picture of life gradually turned gloomy, the Doctor clearly expressed his admiration for Vietnam, and his admiration for the resilience of the Vietnamese people in not surrendering 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 the most difficult times still lights up the belief that after the storm, peace will come. Coming to Vietnam, he was impressed by the tradition of patriotism from the time of Hung Vuong who founded Van Lang to a peaceful and independent Vietnam like today. And it is because of this understanding that he was determined to write this book so that readers can see the tradition of continuing patriotism, resilience, and mutual support of the Vietnamese people in any circumstance.

Author Truong Vu Tu was a resident physician, he completed his Master's and PhD degrees at Harvard University, then returned to Vietnam to teach at Duong Minh Medical Academy. Actively working in the field 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 Administrative Therapy. He is the author of many published works such as: Victory over radiation (2007); International health (2010); Reality - Practical knowledge and health capacity - Translation (2014) and is the author of more than 300 academic articles at home and abroad.

Translator Nguyen Phuc An was born in 1984 in Long Xuyen - An Giang, and is currently a lecturer. He 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 Cai Luong plays.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/viet-nam-y-ky-nhung-ghi-chep-ve-hanh-trinh-dieu-tri-covid-19-cua-mot-bac-si-tai-viet-nam-20250227111354835.htm