A heart transplant, which involved nearly 100 medical professionals from Viet Duc University Hospital, Saint Paul Hospital, and University Medical Center HCMC, has been successfully carried out, marking a milestone in organ transplantation in Vietnam.
The heart donor was a 32-year-old man who suffered a severe traffic accident on the night of August 22. At the Saint Paul Hospital in Hanoi, he was diagnosed with brain death, and his family consented to organ donation to save lives.
In addition to the heart, his two kidneys were transplanted into two patients at Saint Paul Hospital, his liver went to a patient at Viet Duc University Hospital, and his corneas were given to a patient at Central Military Hospital 108 in Hanoi.
His heart was transported to HCMC and successfully transplanted into a patient with severe heart disease. Doctors reported that the surgery lasted around 10 hours, beginning at midnight on August 24 and concluding at 3 a.m. on August 25. The recipient is now in stable condition.
International antiques displayed in HCMC
The HCMC Museum of History is now displaying 150 antiques from Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Japan, Laos and Thailand. The exhibition is held to mark the 45 years of establishment of the museum and will last until October 31. Ticket price is VND30,000 per guest.
According to the HCMC Museum of History, these antiques have been collected by the museum for many years. This is the first time that they have been introduced to visitors. The antiques are diverse, including potteries, statues, pictures, ornaments, and daily utensils, which are displayed in four topics – Indian arts in Southeast Asia, and Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese fine arts.
Various Vietnamese pottery products made in the 19th century and used in the royal court of the Nguyen Dynasty are showcased in the central part of the exhibition. Bronze products made during the reign of King Minh Mang (1820-1841), and bronze Buddha statues, offerings and utensils are also displayed here.
Chinese antiques at the exhibition are ivory products with sophisticated carvings. Japan’s Satsuma pottery products made from the 17th century are also exhibited, along with Japanese watercolor paintings.
Antiques from Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, including wood carvings, bronze Buddha statues and a Ganesha statue, bronze utensils, and ornaments, are also seen at the exhibition, vnexpress.net reported.
An exhibition on old-style Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns
A group of young people have used bamboo, do paper and cellophane paper to make lanterns that used to be made in the old days, even up to a century ago, and are displaying them at 187 Bach Dang Street, Tan Binh District, HCMC. The old-style lantern exhibition is open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day, and will last until September 20. Entrance ticket is VND50,000 per guest.
About 70 types of lanterns are being displayed at the exhibition. A highlight of the event is the Dai Long (Big Dragon) lantern, which is 10 meters long. Inspired by the photo depicting the Phu Giay lantern festival held in Nam Dinh about 100 years ago, 10 artisans worked together to make the giant dragon lantern in 400 hours. The Dai Long lantern is worth over VND40 million.
According to Saigon Tiep Thi news site, all the exhibited lanterns can be sold upon the request of guests. Depending on craftsmanship and size, the lanterns are priced from millions to tens of millions of dong each.
Free Vietnamese language class for foreigners in HCMC
For nearly seven years, a Vietnamese language class in District 3 and Binh Thanh District has attracted a growing number of foreigners eager to learn. This free class, run by enthusiastic young Vietnamese instructors, not only offers language lessons but also provides an immersive cultural experience.
According to the Thanh Nien news site, the class is held on Monday evenings at 611/4C Dien Bien Phu Street, Ward 1, District 3, and on Thursdays at 258 No Trang Long Street, Ward 12, Binh Thanh District. Each session lasts about two hours.
Tra Thi Kim Ngan, the class’s manager in Binh Thanh District, said that it serves as both a language exchange opportunity and a way to bring people together. “Some attendees have been coming every week for a year and have advanced to higher levels. Even those who have left Vietnam often stay in touch to ask about the class,” she noted.
