Help for young woman with encephalitis

DTiNews readers have donated a large sum of money to help save a young woman with encephalitis, and her baby, in Haiphong City.

 Vu Hong Thoa, Ngan's father-in-law receives the monthly VND20 million

Months ago, at the psychiatric department of the Vietnam-Czech Friendship Hospital, a young woman rested quietly on a small bed in a corner of the hospital. This was Ha Thi Ngan, born in 1986, and she was in coma, suffering from encephalitis.

At that time, Ngan had been pregnant for 32 weeks.  Dr Tran Thi Thu Huong said, "She came in in critical condition. She had Japanese B encephalitis with seizures and possible blood infection."

Ngan is an orphan and a member of the Tay ethnic people from the mountainous Tuyen Quang Province. She came to Hanoi at the age of 13 to do odd jobs. Then she went to Haiphong where she met and wed a poor boy. She started to get sick 6 months into her pregnancy but because of poverty, she was unable to get treatment and her illness was not cured. The following month, Ngan was sent to hospital suffering from a high fever and seizures.

 Ngan in coma when she was pregnant for 32 weeks 

Doctors said they saw her wandering alone around the hospital. When her illness got worse, they had to force her family to bring her to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases. The doctors had considered a caesarean section to save the child but Ngan's family transferred her instead to Haiphong Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The doctors there quickly moved Ngan back to the Vietnam-Czech Friendship Hospital for co-operative treatment for Japanese B encephalitis.

However, the huge cost of treatment and the severity of the disease made Ngan's family give up on her. With no one to take care of her, and obvious neglect by hospital staff, an infection developed on the small of her back. Soon the infection worsened and caused a huge open wound and a high fever.  There were even bones exposed and when doctors cleaned her wound, they removed many maggots. Meanwhile Ngan slept, unaware of everything.

 The wound on the small of her back

Ngan's case was brought to public attention by a young girl who sells potatoes near the hospital. After finding out about Ngan's situation, she persuaded three other street vendors to start a charity group to help Ngan. They hung banners outside hospital and told other people about Ngan. People only gave them VND5,000 or VND10,000 but eventually they were able to gather over VND10 million (USD480). The girl also posted Ngan's story on Facebook to call for more help. Only at this time did Ngan's family come back to help her.

Street vendors' owners started a charity group 

Even though she was in a coma, Ngan gave birth to a healthy son and was sent home. Vu Hong Thoa, Ngan's father-in-law said, "Our grandson, Vu Hong Bach, is healthy. Our daughter-in-law is at home now, but I don't think she'll live much longer."

DanTri's readers have donated about VND492 million to help Ngan, however, Thoa said they only want  VND40 million for now, to build a small shop to make a stable income and VND20 million each month to buy medicines and other necessary supplies for Ngan.

 Kind people visit Ngan in hospital

"I don't want all that money because I don't know how long Ngan will live. If she dies, I'll use a part of the money for her funeral and our grandson's future. I hope the rest of the money can be given to other needy people. I also want to give our sincerest thanks to the kind donors-- because of you, Ngan and our grandson can live on." Thoa said.