Professor Mai Trong Khoa, Deputy Director of Bach Mai hospital and Professor Kryspel, President of the US Radiosurgery Association held a consultation on gama knife operation for a brain cancer patient. (photo: Vietnamnet)

Vietnam has one of the world’s highest rates of cancer. The number of patients increase year after year. The project "Applying modern techniques of ionizing radiation in diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other diseases” by Professor Doctor Mai Trong Khoa, Deputy Director of Bach Mai hospital and Director of Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology, and his colleagues over the past 2 decades has seen significant results.

Professor Khoa said: “Vietnam has one of the highest rates of cancer fatality.  Vietnam has applied nuclear medicine and radiation oncology technology in diagnosis and treatment.”

Vietnamese doctors have successfully performed gamma knife surgeries on 4,000 patients with brain cancer. It’s called a gamma knife, but there’s no actual blade. This medical device actually involves no cutting at all. It delivers radiation to a spinal cord or brain tumor to destroy the tumor cells.

The National Hospital of Hematology and Blood Transfusion has conducted over 100 studies to improve safety in blood transfusion, including preventing diseases transmitted through blood transfusion and identifying unusual antibodies.

Professor Pham Van Thuc, Rector of Hai Phong Medicine University

Rector of Hai Phong Medicine University Professor Pham Van Thuc is a founder of the hospital of Hai Phong Medicine University. He has made important contributions to maritime medicine to cure certain diseases of fishermen, coastal residents, and naval soldiers. He was the first Vietnamese doctor to receive the “academician” title from the French National Academy of Medicine, becoming one of its 500 most prestigious members. Professor Thuc said: “My motivation is to train as many good doctors as I can. We must continuously improve our profession and code of ethics.”

These are some of the many outstanding individuals in Vietnam’s medical sector. Everyday doctors nationwide work hard to treat patients, improve medical methods, and offer better care to the public.