These “soldiers in white” set aside the joy of gathering with their own families, silently fighting on a frontline without gunfire to save lives and protect public health.

Long before the holiday began, medical facilities from the lowlands to the high mountain peaks across the province developed detailed plans. They readied personnel and equipment, assigned shifts, and ensured emergency response protocols were in place to provide attentive care for the people. A 24-hour duty cycle was maintained by everyone from leadership to professional staff. This rigorous scheduling ensured that every arising situation was handled promptly, particularly cases of traffic accidents and food poisoning which frequently occurred during the festive season.

Data from the Ministry of Health showed that during just three days of the 2026 holiday (February 14-17), the country provided examinations and emergency care for over 257,000 patients, with more than 69,000 requiring hospitalization. Over a five-day period, 18,255 emergency cases were linked to traffic accidents, resulting in 123 suspected deaths. These cases were often severe, involving multiple traumas, which demanded that emergency teams act with extreme speed and responsibility to find the best treatment paths. For these healthcare workers, every successful resuscitation served as the motivation to push through the exhaustion and pressure of the season.

In Điện Biên, the steep terrain, border locations, and scattered population made healthcare readiness a top priority. Hospitals and medical centers proactively built plans for out-of-hospital emergencies to ensure they were never caught off guard. At the provincial General Hospital, departments like Emergency, Trauma, and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were consistently the busiest. Doctors and nurses there fought for every breath and heartbeat of their patients, prioritizing their professional duty over their personal desire for a holiday meal at home.

For dialysis patients, treatment could not wait for the holiday to end. While the world outside was busy shopping and decorating, the blood filtration machines in the wards continued to run steadily. Missing a single session could lead to life-threatening complications, so medical staff remained on duty with an even higher sense of responsibility than on normal days. Beyond clinical care, the staff provided emotional support to ensure no patient felt “left behind.” On the New Year’s Eve, the hospital delivered gifts and encouragement to those who had to stay in treatment during the transition to the new year.

This dedication was tested right before the Tết when a measles outbreak was discovered in Hua Sát village, Chiềng Sinh commune on February 13. Twenty-one cases emerged, all among preschool and elementary students. To prevent the virus from spreading, eleven children were treated at the Tuần Giáo Medical Center, while ten others were isolated at the local kindergarten. The medical team acted decisively, zoning the area, disinfecting classrooms, and testing suspected cases. A vaccination campaign was quickly launched for 68 children in Hua Sát and Huổi Nôm villages. This rapid response demonstrated that regardless of the holiday, wherever there was a patient in need, the “soldiers in white” were ready to be there.

As the festive atmosphere of the new year filled the air, the work inside the hospitals remained hurried and intense. Overnight shifts, urgent surgeries, and the close monitoring of critical patients continued as usual. Within that quiet persistence, the medical staff silently guarded the health of the community so that the people could enjoy a complete and safe spring.

We extend our deepest gratitude to these silent “soldiers in white.”