Numerous individuals arrive at the Nhân Ái (Humane) Hospital with depleted health, but through their daily efforts and the dedicated care of medical professionals, they experience a rejuvenation of health, akin to a rebirth.

Nhân Ái Hospital, situated in Phú Văn Commune, Bù Gia Mập District, Bình Phước Province, approximately 200km from the center of HCM City, stands as the largest HIV/AIDS treatment facility in Vietnam. Established in 2006 on a sprawling 170-hectare expanse, the hospital boasts a staff of 363 medical workers catering to 595 patients.

Each morning at 8:30 am, hundreds of patients from various treatment rooms gather across the hospital’s campus. Robust patients take charge of cleaning rooms and hallways, tending to plants, while those in a more delicate state bask in the sun or engage in cheerful conversations.

Dr. Lê Văn Hạng, Deputy Head of the General Planning Division, conducts thoughtful health inquiries during his rounds to different rooms, exemplifying the compassionate care extended to each patient.

One such patient, N.A.T, aged 57 and hailing from Hà Nội, has been at the hospital for over seven years without returning home. Originally a long-distance car driver, T. faced a life-altering event in 2016 when a motorbike accident left him paralyzed, and he discovered he was HIV positive. Initially shocked by the diagnosis, T. went from nearly 60kg to a mere 37kg. Entering the hospital in a state of despondency, T. underwent persistent daily physical therapy that rekindled his will to live. Today, he can independently use a wheelchair, marking his gradual recovery as a miracle. T. expresses profound gratitude to the medical staff, considering them more than relatives who have cared for him in lieu of his family.

Similarly, K.D, aged 50 from HCM City, has been receiving HIV treatment at the hospital for nine years. Despite the initial collapse she experienced upon learning of her HIV contraction through drug injection, D. voluntarily sought treatment at Nhân Ái Hospital. Though she couldn’t walk unaided at the time and felt close to death, the hospital provided her with love, enthusiastic care, and effective treatment. D. now enjoys good health, having gained 10kg and received compliments on her radiant skin. Feeling at home in the hospital, she occasionally requests permission to visit her family for a day or two before eagerly returning to the supportive environment.

In the treatment rooms, nurses rotate in caring for patients with severe body ulcers and limited mobility. Nurse Trần Thị Diệu, while changing the diaper of a emaciated male patient covered in ulcers, delicately inquires about his comfort and ensures he sits patiently until the wound dries. In another room, nurse Lê Thanh Phong adeptly finds a vein and administers medicine to a 60-year-old male patient, requiring precision due to his thin body and prior drug injection history.

Having worked at the hospital since its inception, Bùi Văn Tiến, Deputy Head of the Social Work Division, has encountered thousands of patients with severe exhaustion and compromised immune systems. Tiến highlights that these patients, initially uncooperative and sometimes aggressive, often undergo a transformation during their stay. The hospital’s care and attention allow their positive qualities to flourish, softening the negative aspects. Tiến emphasizes that, over the years, he perceives these individuals as more pitiable than blameworthy, as many are deeply emotional.

For both patients and medical staff, Nhân Ái Hospital becomes a family and a second home. The ultimate joy and happiness for the medical staff come from witnessing the patients’ restored health and seeing their smiles, creating a heartwarming environment at the hospital.