The Vietnam–Laos friendship military-civilian border clinic has become a trusted healthcare provider for local residents.
On a Saturday in mid-April, a visit to the Vietnam–Laos friendship military-civilian border clinic revealed a sense of urgency as Major Pham Thien Thuat, a military medic at the facility, and his colleagues worked to cure a female patient from Laos suffering from meningitis.
Amid precise and careful procedures, Thuat continued to reassure the patient’s family, urging them to remain calm. The dedication of him and the medical team is reflected in their round-the-clock readiness, with no days off, regardless of night hours or public holidays.
Tinh Put Cha Say, a resident of Na Pung village in Sop Bau district, Houaphanh province of Laos, said he was deeply moved: “My wife was seriously ill, and as soon as she was brought to the clinic, the Vietnamese military doctors admitted her immediately and treated her with great care. They looked after and reassured my family as if we were their own. Thanks to the doctors here, people in my village feel at ease knowing there is always a place to receive timely treatment when they fall ill.”
The Vietnam–Laos friendship military-civilian border clinic is equipped with ultrasound machines, providing medical examinations for local residents.
Having been with the clinic since its establishment nearly a decade ago, Thuat has become a familiar figure among border communities. Over the past 10 years, through professional expertise and the dedication of a military doctor, he and his colleagues have provided timely treatment to thousands of patients.
Thuat said the clinic has conducted 10,417 medical consultations and treatments over the period, handling more than 500 critical emergency cases on-site and ensuring the safety of both personnel and residents. Notably, it has also provided care for over 3,150 residents from Sop Bau district.
Beyond its medical duties, the clinic has served as a humanitarian bridge, coordinating with sponsors to provide free check-ups and medicines to more than 468 policy beneficiaries and elderly people living alone.
As part of efforts to safeguard community health, the unit has also partnered in administering routine vaccinations for 650 children and delivering immunisations for more than 9,076 border residents, helping boost public trust in military medical services.
A clinic staff member conducts a medical check-up and distributes medicine to an elderly person.
The clinic is seen as an extension of grassroots healthcare reaching even the most remote villages. In rugged terrain, travel from villages such as Phieng Cai and Buoc Pat to commune centres can take considerable time. As a result, doctors at the clinic remain on constant standby, ready to handle emergency cases ranging from accidents and poisoning to childbirth before referring patients to higher-level facilities.
With the ethos of a “no days off” clinic, the dedication of military doctors has helped local residents feel secure in maintaining livelihoods and expanding economic activity. This forms a key foundation for building a border of peace and friendship, while contributing to the safeguarding of security, order and national border sovereignty in the current context.
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