Dong Nai (VNA) – Over the past threeyears, Rene D.Esser, a Vietnamese French doctor, travelled thousands ofkilometres to Thong Nhat General Hospital in the southern province of Dong Naievery three months to provide free check-ups and treatment for patients withbone and joint diseases.
The 67-year-old Professor and Doctor is in charge ofthe Traumatology and Orthopedics Department of Polyclinique de Ternois Hospitalin France.
After graduating from the Paris University ofMedicine in 1975, Rene started his career in Germany. After just three monthsof apprenticeship, he came first in a fierce contest to become head of thetraumatology and orthopedics department of a 200-bed hospital.
Rene then moved to the island country of Samoa wherehe helped the local Government build a hospital for traumatology andorthopedics. In recognition of the doctor’s great contribution, the Samoan Kingconferred on him the prince title and an honorary medal.
In 1995, Rene returned to France and then began totravel regularly to Vietnam to conduct charity surgeries and transferredtechniques to local doctors.
Rene and the Director of Thong Nhat General Hospitalshared the concern over post-operative rehabilitation of patients.
“Surgery is only one part of trauma and orthopedictreatment. Monitoring patients’ recovery is necessary. However, many hospitalsin Vietnam have yet to pay due attention to the rehabilitation work,” he said.
During the time spent in Vietnam, Rene has performedmany surgeries, including complex ones that had never been carried out inVietnam, bringing a new life to patients.
He said many hospitals in Vietnam, especially thoseat the provincial level, lack cutting-edge equipment, thus hindering thetreatment of complex cases. Rene, therefore, brings medical tools from Franceto conduct surgeries and share experience with his Vietnamese colleagues.
Apart from Thong Nhat General Hospital, Rene hascooperated with other medical establishments like Hospital for Traumatology andOrthopedics, Cho Ray Hospital, 115 People’s Hospital, Gia Dinh People’sHospital and 108 Hospital. -VNA