Recently, Hue Central Hospital has had many outstanding innovations, becoming one of the leading medical examination and treatment institutions in Vietnam. This achievement, in addition to promoting internal resources potential, must include important steps in international integration.

The leading experts in plastic surgery (USA) exchanging expertise on facial-jaw surgery for children in Hue Central Hospital

Integration, building trust for patients

Following the development steps at Hue Central Hospital, it is easy to see that the infrastructure has become more and more spacious and modern; equipment is more well invested and the old one has been replaced; and it has human resources with professional qualifications and skills comparable to those in the region and the world.

Speaking at recent conferences, Prof. Pham Nhu Hiep, Director of Hue Central Hospital, said that with the medical career, improving the quality of human resources is a top priority. In order to have a high-quality workforce capable of undertaking and conquering difficult and complicated medical intervention techniques, the hospital has actively sent dozens of officials and doctors to train in France, the United States, Italy, Japan, and Belgium etc., every year.

Since 2015, the hospital has welcomed hundreds of international organizations and individuals to seminars, professional exchanges, scientific researches and open short and long-term training courses in the fields of Nephrology and organ transplant, radiology, cardiology, pediatric cardiology, odontology, ophthalmology, hematology - blood transfusion, anesthesiology, orthopedic, endoscopy, urology.

Currently, people coming to the hospital are assured of high quality medical services as well as medical ethics of physicians. Many new techniques have been employed by the hospital, such as organ transplant, laparoscopic surgery, cancer treatment, in vitro fertilization ...; among which, the natural orifices transluminal endoscopy in treatment of colorectal cancer, proctoscopic surgery were carried out for the first time in Vietnam and the world.

In 2018, Hue Central Hospital was the leading unit in the country with the highest number of kidney transplants (192 cases) and achieved great success when successfully implementing 3 "trans-Vietnamese" heart transplants which were later awarded the Merit certificate by the Prime Minister.

The synchronously and well trained staff helped Hue Central Hospital to become a medical and doctoral training institution in the whole country; at the same time, every year, many foreign students and doctors from Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, are welcome to study and do researches. The hospital has supported 9 provincial hospitals in the Central - Central Highlands region, by the method of "hands-on work", contributing to solving many difficult cases, saving lives of many people suffering from serious diseases.

Prof. Pham Nhu Hiep, Director of Hue Central Hospital (far left), exchanging with Japanese experts about the project to support pediatric cancer patients in Hue Central Hospital

Towards an international brand name

The achievement represented in the process of building an intensive medical center is the fact that leaders of the Hospital can mobilize investment capital sources quickly for infrastructure construction and medical equipment through cooperation. Hue Central Hospital in turn built and put into operation high-tech centers (ODA), Cardiovascular Center, Pediatrics Center, Regional Blood Transfusion Center, Training Center & Ophthalmology Department, Oncology Center, International Treatment Center, together with modern equipment ...

The total investment value of the projects is nearly VND 1,600 billion, of which 25% comes from the State budget, and 75% from the non-refundable aid of the governmental and non-governmental organizations. Hue Central Hospital is assesses by Ministry of Health to be the unit that attracts investment capital through international cooperation effectively.

Japanese and Austrian ODA sources, funding sources from non-governmental organizations such as Atlantic Philanthropies-USA, Luxembourg, ... which invested in building and supplying equipment, have altered the entire infrastructure, and changed the appearance of the hospital.

Recently, Hue Central Hospital received Provincial General Hospital funded by the Korean Government to become the second facility. In a short time, Hue Central Hospital 2 has operated effectively, meeting the needs of health service, health care not only for people in Thua Thien Hue province but also for those in Northern Central provinces, such as Quang Binh, Quang Tri ...; at the same time, reduce the workload for Hue Central Hospital. Currently. Hue Central Hospital 2 is highly appreciated by the Ministry of Health and the Government of Korea for its effective performance in recent years.

Prof. Pham Nhu Hiep revealed that for the immediate and long-term goals, there should be appropriate steps to strive to build Hue Central Hospital towards an international brand name, a high-class medical center; becoming a training center for high quality human resources to serve and care for people's health ... In order to achieve these objectives, the hospital constantly strives to overcome difficulties and continue to integrate into international cooperation in many fields, from professional human resources to infrastructure and equipment...

Story and photos: MINH TRUONG