The students are given free medical check-ups in Nghe An on May 8.
More than 200 ethnic minority students in the mountainous Ky Son District of central Vietnam’s Nghe An Province received free medical check-ups and hepatitis B screenings through a community health initiative jointly organised by Dantri Newspaper and the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
On the afternoon of May 8, Dantri’s Youth Union, in collaboration with doctors from the hospital, provided free health examinations and medication to students at My Ly 2 Semi-Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities. The students, primarily of Thai and Mong ethnic backgrounds, come from families living in particularly difficult conditions in remote border areas.
Dr. Le Van Thieu, a specialist at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said the check-ups covered general internal medicine and ENT (ear, nose, and throat) care, with a key focus on hepatitis B screening.
“Many of the children were found to have respiratory infections such as pharyngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, and otitis media. Several also showed signs of skin irritation likely caused by parasites. Notably, one student was referred for cardiology consultation after being suspected of having valvular heart disease and arrhythmia,” Dr. Thieu reported.
In addition to the medical examinations, the doctors offered guidance on hygiene, nutrition, and disease prevention. Students also received deworming tablets, vitamins, and instructions on proper usage with the support of their teachers.
The programme included recreational activities and gift-giving, bringing joy to the young participants.
Vi Thi Anh Nguyet, a second-grade student from the Thai ethnic group, shared her excitement, “I was so happy to have my health checked, play games, and receive gifts. It was the first time I joined such a fun activity at school. I hope we’ll have more chances like this to learn and play.”
My Ly 2 School Principal Tran Sy Ha noted the challenges in accessing healthcare due to the school’s remote mountainous location. Students typically only receive basic health checks from the commune’s local clinic twice a year.
“This initiative is extremely meaningful. It allows us to better monitor our students’ health and encourage families to seek timely treatment for their children,” he said.
Earlier the same day, Dantri, in coordination with local authorities, also broke ground on two new classroom buildings at Cha Nga village's kindergarten and primary school, also in My Ly Commune.
The health programme was supported by Long Chau Pharmacy, which donated health products to local residents, and Xanh Xanh – Urban Forest, which gifted 40 desk plants to the school.
This marks the 18th community health programme organised by Dantri in the past two years.
