70th Anniversary of Vietnamese Doctor's day

On February 27, 1955, President Ho Chi Minh sent a letter to a conference of medical workers across the country, encouraging them to uphold the noble principle of being “A good doctor is like an affectionate mother” and to unite in building a national healthcare system with the motto of “Science – National Identity – Public Service.” His words served as a guiding light for generations of medical professionals, urging them to dedicate themselves to the revolutionary cause and the well-being of the people.

President Ho Chi Minh sent a letter to a conference of medical workers.

Since then, generations of Vietnamese doctors and healthcare workers have worked to uphold these values, affirming the vital role of the medical sector in national development. February 27 was officially designated as Vietnamese Doctors’ Day, a moment for the entire nation to honour the dedication and contributions of medical professionals.

Over the past 70 years, Vietnam’s healthcare sector has continuously advanced, strengthening its expertise, ethics, and application of science and technology in fulfilling President Ho Chi Minh’s teachings.

Doctors at Xanh Pon General Hospital performed surgery on a child using single-port laparoscopic surgery to treat choledochal cysts. Photo: HB

Over the past seven decades, Vietnam’s healthcare sector has achieved remarkable progress. The preventive healthcare network, medical facilities, pharmaceutical production, and supply systems have progressed rapidly. Policies on healthcare financing and insurance have improved, while scientific capabilities among medical professionals continue to grow.

In more than 30 years of implementing disease prevention and control efforts, Vietnam has developed robust capabilities in monitoring, detecting, diagnosing, and responding to outbreaks swiftly and effectively. The country’s capacity to prevent and control dangerous and emerging diseases has been significantly strengthened. Treatment outcomes for patients have shown remarkable improvements, while preparedness and readiness to respond to hazardous epidemics have reached a proactive and positive level.

The country has successfully controlled and eliminated dangerous diseases such as smallpox, polio, neonatal tetanus, and plague, while significantly reducing the impact of dengue fever, viral encephalitis, and tuberculosis. Vietnam was also among the first countries to contain outbreaks of SARS, H5N1, and H1N1, and effectively prevented the entry of emerging diseases such as H7N9, Ebola, and MERS-CoV.

Vietnamese medical professionals continue to push the boundaries of science and medicine, making valuable contributions to both healthcare and national development. Many distinguished doctors, including Professors Ton That Tung, Dang Van Ngu, Hoang Dinh Cam, Le The Trung and Pham Ngoc Thach, have been recognised as national heroes and exemplary figures in the medical field./.

Binh Nguyen