Severely-injured man calls for help

A man from HCM City who was seriously injured in a workplace accident said he just wanted to die to release his family from the burden of taking care of him.

Phan Hoai Phong

Phan Hoai Phong was the family's breadwinner. Even though his income as a bricklayer was unstable, it was enough to still support the family.

Two years ago, a wood beam on the roof of the house Phong was working on broke and Phong fell. A stair fell onto his back and broke two of his vertebrae. In order to pay for the surgery, Phong's family borrowed nearly VND50m (USD2,200) from everyone they could think of.

When Phong's health got better, he planned to turn to fishing to earn an income. Unfortunately, one of the splints that kept his bones in place fell apart while Phong was lifting a net. Doctors suggested another operation but the family was still trying to repay their initial debt, no one wants to lend them more money.

Phong has infections and ulcers

Phong's wife, Tran Thi Thuyen, earns little as a labourer and struggles to raise two children. As Phong's health has weakened, his immune system has worsened and he had to fight against tuberculosis for a while. After the struggle to treat tuberculosis, Phong was bed-bound and he has to depend on his wife and relatives. But as everyone has to go to work and can't help him wash regularly, he now has infections and ulcers.

"Our meals mostly consist of vegetables. Some days, we’re given meat or fish by relatives," Thuyen said.

Phong said, "Sometimes I just want to kill myself to release my family from the burden but I don't even have strength to use my arms properly. On March 30, it was so hot and I could hardly breathe. When my daughter returned from school, she panicked and our neighbours brought me to hospital. I thought I could finally die that day, but I couldn't."

Dr. Nguyen Huu Nghia from Trung Vuong Hospital said they sympathised with Phong's situation and gave him treatment even though the family still owed hospital fees. According to Nghia, currently Phong is too weak and he needs to be healthier to be operated on.