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| By the afternoon of November 3rd, the road leading to Hue Psychiatric Hospital being still submerged in about 1.5 meters of fast-flowing water |
At noon on the same day, Ms. N.T.H., coming from Quang Tri, brought her son Tr.V.N. to the hospital for examination. At that time, the reporter also arrived after wading nearly 1 kilometer through waist-deep, fast-flowing water.
When asked why she didn’t wait for the water to recede before coming, Ms. H. said that the road from Quang Tri to Hue had been normal when she left, and she didn’t expect the water to rise so high. “Besides, I am anxious of my son’s condition, so the faster I take him for treatment, the better it will be,” she added hesitantly.
After receiving a prescription and medicine from Specialist Doctor Level 1 Le Dinh Hung, the mother and her son hired a sampan to reach Le Duan Street to catch a car back to Quang Tri. As the sampan reached the hospital entrance, Dr. Hung looked momentarily worried and said softly, “N. suffers from generalized anxiety disorder and is being treated as an outpatient. I just hope that on the way back (by sampan), he can remain calm.”
Due to its particular nature, Hue Psychiatric Hospital - like others of its kind - is usually not crowded or chaotic. Currently, the hospital is treating 91 inpatients, a relatively small number compared to other kinds of hospitals. Nevertheless, the doctors and nurses here face tremendous stress, especially during the first days of flooding, when ensuring patients’ safety is extremely difficult. They must also prevent collective panic among patients and family members.
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| The hospital having stocked up adequately on medicine in advance |
On the night of October 27th, when Hue recorded rainfall surpassing all previous historical levels - unprecedented in Vietnam - the seven-member night shift team at the hospital worked under extreme physical and mental strain to move dozens of patients from low-lying buildings to higher ground.
When they left the rooms and saw water everywhere, some patients became anxious or restless. Some refused to follow staff instructions, insisting on doing as they pleased. Even though many patients could walk on their own, safely escorting each one of them upstairs still required at least three staff members.
As the water rose higher, up to an adult’s waist, tension grew. Some patients reacted strongly, insisting on going with their relatives and demanding to be carried rather than walk.
“The irony was that the family member was elderly and couldn’t carry the patient. After much persuasion, the patient finally agreed to be carried by a staff member. But once they reached safety and saw their relative still across the water collecting belongings, the patient turned around and waded back. We had to start the whole process all over again,” recalled nurse Tran Thi Ha Giang.
By noon on November 3rd, when the water rose for the third time, the outer Pham Thi Lien Street area was submerged by 1 to 1.5 meters, while the inside of the hospital had nearly 1 meter of water. Fortunately, with the number of staff on duty increased to 15 and all patients already moved to dry areas, the situation remained stable. Patients continued to eat, sleep, relax, and receive treatment on schedule, as if it were a normal day.
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| Patients and their families having been safely relocated to higher ground, ensuring security in daily life and treatment |
However, after taking care of the patients, the staff still had to worry about providing food and water for themselves. They faced great hardship and danger due to the deep, fast-flowing floodwater and lack of transport.
For instance, at noon on November 3rd, a volunteer group offered to provide lunch. Since the road was deeply flooded, their car could only stop at Le Duan Street. Hospital staff had to wade nearly 1 kilometer through the fast-flowing water to collect the food supplies, and then make the same journey back, carrying the meals to those inside.
This was just one of the few times the hospital managed to receive aid from volunteer groups. In many cases, due to the dangerous conditions - deep, fast-flowing water and lack of transport - Dr. Ho Dung, the hospital’s director, had to decline donations to ensure the safety of both volunteers and hospital staff.
“We are deeply touched and sincerely thankful for the authorities, community, and many organizations and volunteer groups who have sent more than 1,000 meals, milk, cakes, and other essential supplies to our patients. At the moment, since more family members are stranded here than expected and the flood has lasted for many days, the hospital is in urgent need of food, canned goods, and canoes (sampans or motorboats) to safely transport patients and receive supplies if the flooding continues,” shared Dr. Ho Dung.