In October 2024, Nguyet was born prematurely at just 31 weeks, her frail body marked by purple skin and interrupted breaths, her tiny nose attached to an oversized ventilator. Her mother, an ethnic minority H’mong girl of only 18, stood silently beside the hospital bed, her limited Vietnamese preventing her from expressing the deep pain she felt. She watched helplessly as her newborn, weighing a mere 1.9 kilograms, struggled for each breath, fighting to hold on to life.
Day by day, under the dedicated care of the doctors at Xanh Pon hospital and with the crucial support of the Neonatal Care program, baby Nguyet gradually regained her breathing strength through the CPAP machine. Five days later, Nguyet clung to her mother’s hand, her skin now a healthy pink. Upon discharge, the young mother could only bow her head in gratitude, unable to speak, as tears of relief flowed.
From bustling urban centers to remote highlands, ventilators, warming beds, and other neonatal care equipment are not merely medical devices—they embody the warmth and compassion of the donors. Reflecting on the past year, neonatal intensive care equipment has provided timely treatment for 1,164 infants and pediatric patients in Quan Ba District.
Additionally, the program has played a significant role in reducing pediatric referral rates from 19.5% to 0.4% in the area. The number of pediatric patients successfully treated in five hospitals increased from 3,973 to 4,272, with no child mortality under five years old recorded (compared to eight cases before the project).
We are profoundly grateful to An’s Saigon, Minh Ha Company, and HerSspa for their generous contributions that have granted thousands of children a chance at life. This journey will continue—so that with each new dawn, we will hear the healthy cries of newborns, see warm smiles, and witness protective arms embracing these little lives.
