Two doctors from Tu Du Hospital and Children’s Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City successfully escorted a Singaporean mother - who had recently undergone a fetal cardiac intervention - back to her home country and completed a smooth handover to doctors in Singapore.

On June 10, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health confirmed that the patient had arrived safely in Singapore, where she was transferred to a recovery unit for further monitoring and treatment by medical staff at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

This handover followed an online consultation on June 9 between the medical teams of Tu Du Hospital, Children’s Hospital 1, and Singaporean specialists in obstetrics and pediatrics. Immediately after the consultation, Ho Chi Minh City authorities approved the mission for two Vietnamese doctors to accompany the patient home.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, Deputy Director of Children’s Hospital 1, and Dr. Trinh Nhat Thu Huong, Head of Prenatal Care at Tu Du Hospital, were assigned the task. Despite a flight delay of over three hours, the team arrived in Singapore at 11 p.m. and reported the successful handover to the city’s Department of Health.

The Singaporean medical team welcomed the delegation warmly and expressed admiration and gratitude for the intervention’s success. They praised the Vietnamese doctors’ professionalism and efforts in securing the mother and baby’s safety.

The fetal cardiac intervention team from both hospitals will remain in contact with their Singaporean counterparts to stay updated on the patient’s condition in the coming days.

Earlier on June 9, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan visited Tu Du Hospital and Children’s Hospital 1 to personally congratulate and award both hospitals for their outstanding achievement in performing a fetal aortic valvuloplasty - a rare and complex in-utero heart procedure - for the Singaporean patient.

This landmark case not only gave a fighting chance to a fetus previously diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, but also marked a historic milestone in Vietnamese fetal medicine. It showcased the country’s growing capacity to proactively intervene in-utero and alter the fate of unborn lives.

Phuong Thuy