For the doctors, nurses, and caregivers at the Điện Biên provincial General Hospital, the Tết holiday is a period of intense pressure that demands unwavering focus and responsibility.

To them, safeguarding health and saving lives is a mission that knows no holiday. In the Geriatrics - Cardiology Department, the days leading up to the new year carry a unique atmosphere. To help patients who cannot return home feel less lonely, the staff has decorated the ward with peach blossoms and lanterns, making the clinical space feel significantly warmer and more like home.

Doctor Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hà, Head of the Geriatrics - Cardiology Department, has spent 23 years in the medical profession and has grown accustomed to spending many consecutive Tết holiday in the hospital alongside her patients. For most women, the new year is traditionally tied to cleaning, shopping, and caring for the family, but medical professionals like her must manage these tasks in their limited spare time or rely heavily on the support of relatives. She emphasizes that a long career in medicine requires not only a love for the craft but also profound sympathy and sharing from one’s family. She finds no sadness in performing holiday duties; instead, her greatest joy and a complete Tết celebration come from seeing patients recover quickly enough to reunite with their children and grandchildren.

In the Artificial Kidney Department, the workflow remains as urgent as ever during the early spring days. Due to the nature of their treatment, patients in the end stages of kidney failure must maintain periodic dialysis without any interruption. Điêu Văn Diên, a doctor in the department, has worked in the profession for over a decade and has performed Tết duty for just as many years. He shares that almost every year of his career has involved welcoming the new year at the hospital rather than with his family. While he admits to occasionally feeling wistful when seeing others prepare their homes for the holiday, he remains steadfast in his professional responsibility.

Most patients undergoing treatment in the Artificial Kidney Department face difficult circumstances and live far from the hospital, often necessitating that they rent rooms nearby for long-term care. During the Tết holiday, in addition to ensuring scheduled dialysis, the medical team is especially focused on the dissemination of advice and reminders regarding diet and lifestyle. This is crucial because the festive mood often tempts people to indulge, yet for dialysis patients, even a slightly higher salt intake can lead to serious health consequences. Cứ Thị Dính, a patient in the Department, expressed deep emotion, noting that while spending Tết in the hospital is difficult, the care and encouragement from the doctors and nurses make the patients feel like family, providing the motivation needed to continue their treatment.

Beyond individual clinical departments, the provincial General Hospital has organized a 24-hour presence across multiple levels, including leadership, emergency services, the 115 ambulance system, and specialized professional staff. The hospital has established mobile emergency teams and rapid response units that are ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to handle any accidents or medical incidents during the holiday season.

As peach blossoms bloom across the Northwestern region, these healers set aside their personal happiness to uphold their medical oaths. Their greatest reward in the new year is seeing a patient smile and return to the loving arms of their family.