Public security doctors bring light to Hmong boy

HMong boy of Sung Mi Dia from Dong Van district, Ha Giang province suffered from a strange eye disease and might have become blind. Thanks to the timely treatment of public security doctors, Dia has now recovered from his illness and will soon return to school.

Dia at his house in Dong Van district. Dia's family was too far from the hospital so his parents decided to use some herbs to treat his eye but it did not work.

Dia, 6, is from a poor local Hmong family. His parents, Mr. No and Mrs. Dinh, Dia and two younger brothers live in a small house in the remote mountainous commune of Xang Tung, Dong Van district, Ha Giang province. Dia was born healthy, but when he was 8 months old, Dia’s right eye was accidently hit by a tree branch while being carried on his mother back.

Dia's family was too far from the hospital so his parents decided to use some herbs to treat his eye but it did not work. Dia's eye got worse and worse. In months, the Hmong boy suffered from a serious eye pain. He couldn't eat and sleep like a normal kid; sometimes, the pain made him cry all day.

Senior Colonel Hoang Thanh Tuyen and the delegation of 198 Hospital present Dia’s family with meaningful gifts.

When the situation became so bad as not only his right eye was painful but also his left eye became weak. His eyesight deteriorated quickly so Dia's parents took him to Xang Tung commune’s health station for checkup. 

The local health workers said Dia’s eyes were in a bad condition and he might have blindness. According to the local doctors, the local medical facility could not help him and the boy needed to be taken to a upper-level hospital.

Dia being treated at Hospital 198.

However, Dia’s family was so poor. His parents did not know what to do to save their son’s eyes.

Through the work of grasping the situation at the grassroots level, the Ha Giang provincial police knew the case.

On June 15, during a working session with the Ha Giang Provincial Police Department, General To Lam, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security was briefed on Dia’s situation.

General To Lam then immediately directed Senior Colonel Hoang Thanh Tuyen, Director of 198 Hospital under the Ministry of Public Security, to immediately contact Dia’s family, and support the family take the boy to Hanoi for examination and treatment.

By now, Dia's health is much better. According to Dia’s doctors, the boy will soon be discharged from the hospital to return to his hometown, where he can see his friends again and continue his schooling.

One day later, Senior Colonel Hoang Thanh Tuyen led a delegation of 198 Hospital departed for Ha Giang. On June 17, the delegation of public security doctors arrived at Dia’s hometown. The delegation presented Dia’s family with meaningful gifts and checked up the child patient. According to Dia’s family proposal, the doctors then transferred the boy and his father to Hanoi for treatment at 198 Hospital.

The child patient was treated at the biggest medical facility of the Public Security Forces. Thanks to the efforts of the doctors at Hospital 198, in collaboration with the doctors of the Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology, Dia's eyes were saved after a successful surgery on June 22.

Hospital 198’s leaders also decided to exempt all the costs of treatment, accommodation and living of Dia and his father during the course of treatment at the hospital.

By now, Dia's health is much better. The doctors will continue to monitor Dia's eye condition for a few days. According to Dia’s doctors, the boy will soon be discharged from the hospital to return to his hometown, where he can see his friends again and continue his schooling.