Hue Central Hospital said on April 29 that it had successfully performed six organ transplants from a brain-dead donor, helping save the lives of six critically ill patients who are now recovering well.
The procedures, conducted from April 16 to 18, included heart, liver, kidney, and cornea transplants and involved nearly 200 medical staff from multiple specialties, according to the Nguoi Lao Dong news site.
The donor, a 44-year-old man from Hue, suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in an accident and was later declared brain dead. His family agreed to donate his organs after doctors determined his condition was irreversible.
Hospital teams coordinated with the national transplant coordination center to identify suitable recipients from the waiting lists before launching simultaneous surgeries in five operating rooms late on April 16. Doctors worked through the night under strict timing and precision requirements, the hospital said.
By April 27, all recipients were recovering well. The heart transplant patient had regained consciousness and had stable cardiac function, while liver and kidney recipients showed significant improvement. Cornea recipients also reported partial recovery of vision.
Students use sign language to bridge gap with deaf community
Students at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities HCMC are using sign language to connect with the deaf community, aiming to promote inclusion and break down communication barriers.
The university’s Sign Language Club, founded in 2012, brings together students who are not hearing-impaired but want to better understand and engage with deaf people. Club sessions are conducted without spoken language, relying on gestures, eye contact and facial expressions.
Members also participate in outreach activities. In March, the group joined a program at a special education support center in Dong Nai, where they interacted with children through games and sign-language performances.
Participants say the experience has reshaped their views, shifting from seeing deaf people as needing help to recognizing the importance of understanding, according to the Tuoi Tre news site.
Ancient stone axes found in Vietnam cave point to early human activity
Five ancient stone axes, believed to date back thousands of years, have been discovered in Hang En Cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in central Vietnam, according to the Quang Tri Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
According to the Vietnamplus news site, the artifacts were later handed over to the Quang Tri Museum and the Hanoi Museum for research, preservation, and display.
The discovery was made by a joint exploration team led by Howard Limbert, a British cave expert. The axes were found embedded in sediment layers shaped by flood erosion and containing traces of ancient cultural deposits.
Experts identified the tools as Neolithic artifacts dating to roughly 6,000 to 8,000 years ago and linked them to the Bau Tro culture. Crafted from silicified stone, the axes show clear signs of grinding and shaping, with wear on both the handle and blade.
The find provides further evidence that prehistoric communities once inhabited caves in the area, adding to the archaeological significance of Phong Nha-Ke Bang, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Man in his 60s completes four 100-km forest races
Nguyen Cuong, 61, from Lam Dong Province, has completed 100 km in forest trail races four times. Most recently, he won the 100-km event in the over-60 age group, inspiring the sports community.
Over the past three years, Cuong has made his mark in ultra-trail races at the 100-km distance. To complete such routes through forests, steep climbs, and mountainous terrain, runners need not only passion but also strong physical fitness and endurance built through sustained training.
At the Dalat Ultra Trail in late March, he finished the 100-km race in 18 hours and 18 minutes, taking first place in his age group and marking his fourth time completing the distance.
His son, Nguyen Phuong Hieu, 32, won the overall 100-km race in 12 hours and 34 minutes, drawing admiration as both father and son achieved top results in the same event, according to the Thanh Nien news site.
