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Vietnamese French doctor dedicated to patients in homeland

Over the past three years, Rene D.Esser, a Vietnamese French doctor, travelled thousands of kilometres to Thong Nhat General Hospital in the southern province of Dong Nai every three months to provide free check-ups and treatment for patients with bone and joint diseases.

The 67-year-old Professor and Doctor is in charge of the Traumatology and Orthopedics Department of Polyclinique de Ternois Hospital in France.

After graduating from the Paris University of Medicine in 1975, Rene started his career in Germany. After just three months of apprenticeship, he came first in a fierce contest to become head of the traumatology and orthopedics department of a 200-bed hospital.

Rene then moved to the island country of Samoa where he helped the local Government build a hospital for traumatology and orthopedics. In recognition of the doctor’s great contribution, the Samoan King conferred on him the prince title and an honorary medal.

In 1995, Rene returned to France and then began to travel regularly to Vietnam to conduct charity surgeries and transferred techniques to local doctors.

Rene and the Director of Thong Nhat General Hospital shared the concern over post-operative rehabilitation of patients.

“Surgery is only one part of trauma and orthopedic treatment. Monitoring patients’ recovery is necessary. However, many hospitals in Vietnam have yet to pay due attention to the rehabilitation work,” he said.

During the time spent in Vietnam, Rene has performed many surgeries, including complex ones that had never been carried out in Vietnam, bringing a new life to patients.

He said many hospitals in Vietnam, especially those at the provincial level, lack cutting-edge equipment, thus hindering the treatment of complex cases. Rene, therefore, brings medical tools from France to conduct surgeries and share experience with his Vietnamese colleagues.

Apart from Thong Nhat General Hospital, Rene has cooperated with other medical establishments like Hospital for Traumatology and Orthopedics, Cho Ray Hospital, 115 People’s Hospital, Gia Dinh People’s Hospital and 108 Hospital.
VNA/VNP


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