A young doctor specialising in pediatrics, Phung Duc Son has volunteered to work at General Hospital of Sop Cop district, the northern mountainous province of Son La. The presence of the young doctor has brought more patients to the hospital. Many patients have traveled tens of kilometres for treatment here. Vu Thi Ca, a local in Sam Kha commune, Sop Cop district, Son La province said doctor Son saved her son from death, therefore now whenever her kid has any health problem she sends him to the hospital, no longer keep her kid at home. “I feel very secure, now whenever my kid’s sick I will take him to hospital and I don’t let him stay at home like before”, said Vi Thi Lan in Muon Va commune, Sop Cop district, Son La province. Previously, many difficult cases had to be transferred to higher-level hospitals, but now such cases can be treated at the hospital. “The number of patients to the hospital has increased remarkably, many people have also heard about medical volunteers coming to poor areas so they come for medical check-ups and treatment”, said doctor Phung Duc Son. Despite being trained as a pediatric doctor, Nguyen Van Hieu has to work as a general practitioner at Muong Nhe district’s medical centre in Dien Bien district. Doctor Hieu said besides pediatric and newborn areas, he also has to carry out other tasks such as internal medicine, care and emergency medicine and infectious diseases and anaesthetic work. Evaluating the effectiveness and working competence of young doctors, the health sector said the number of patients who come for medical check-ups and treatment in those areas has increased significantly. “Locals don’t have to transfer to higher-level hospitals, this helps increase the hospital’s reputation”, said Doctor Vu Van Hiep at Sop Cop district’s General Hospital, Son La province According to Tham Van Tac, Head of the Department of Personnel and Organisation under the Ministry of Health, young doctors have proved effectively trained, some doctors can perform 60 difficult techniques that doctors in other hospitals struggle to perform. To date, under the project bringing young doctors to 62 impoverished districts nationwide, nearly 20 doctors have volunteered to work at hospitals in 13 districts and eight poor mountainous provinces. However, the number is still modest as 600 more doctors are needed.-VNA