Vietnamese peacekeepers in South Sudan successfully give first aid to stroke patient

At the scene (Photo: Vietnam’s Level 2 Field Hospital No. 3)

Hanoi (VNA) – of in
South Sudan delivered medical care to save a 50-year-old officer from a
stroke on April 11.

It
was the third stroke that the neurologist from the field hospital has
diagnosed and managed successfully in the past 12 months.

It
was also the second time that peacekeeping health workers at the field hospital
effectively used ultrasound to assess the increased intracranial pressure and
support the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of acute cerebral stroke
as they lack medical equipment like CT scanners or MRIs.

His
colleagues took the to the field hospital at 10 am
on April 11 when the right side of his body could not move. He was still awake
and able to answer calls. His blood pressure increased to very high levels.

One
hour before admission, the patient suddenly became weak and had decreased
sensation on the right side of the body.

Dr
Dang Long Trieu, head of the medical examination department, and the hospital’s deputy director
Tran Dang Khoa handled the patient, controlled their blood pressure and
performed tests.

In
the first hour, the patient was preliminarily diagnosed with a left
hemisphere and suspected cerebral hemorrhage. He also had complications
of increased intracranial pressure.

Although
he had had a five-year history of hypertension, he had received no
treatment.

With
the equipment of a Level 2 field hospital, Dr Hoang Xuan Truong conducted
an ultrasound scan to assess the diameter of the patient’s posterior optic
nerve sheath to support a clearer diagnosis.

Results
showed a marked increase in intracranial pressure, predicting brain
compression. The patient was immediately given the standard protocol for
cerebral stroke.

The
hospital’s deputy director Tran Dang Khoa reported the case to the Chief of
Health of the mission. The patient was urgently transferred to a Level-3 field
hospital to have early access to specialised treatment.

Three
health workers of the field hospital successfully accompanied the patient to
the Level-3 Field Hospital in Uganda’s Kampala City.

Coordination
between the departments and teams in the field hospitals had contributed
significantly to creating the hospital’s prestige and trust of
patients, Khoa said, adding that they were determined to complete the
United Nations peacekeeping mission./.