Grateful to those who have saved the lives of 259 babies

The meeting program for members of the Center to care for newborn babies with mothers infected with COVID-19 (HOPE Center) jointly organized by the City Party Committee, People’s Committee, Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City took place at Hung Vuong Hospital on April 5˳ The program is to show gratitude to those who have contributed to the health care of babies born to mothers infected with COVID-19˳

Recalling this difficult time, Assoc˳ Prof˳ Dr˳ Hoang Thi Diem Tuyet, director of Hung Vuong Hospital, shared “The COVID-19 pandemic that passed through Ho Chi Minh City in 2021 has claimed many lives and left a legacy˳ multi-faceted results from economy to culture and city people’s life”˳

According to Associate Professor Diem Tuyet, when the epidemic entered a complicated phase, the number of infections and especially the number of pregnant women infected with COVID-19 increased every day like a “high tide”˳ Hung Vuong Hospital is the place to receive screening and treatment of pregnant women infected with COVID-19 in an overloaded situation˳

It was during this difficult time that the hospital proposed to the City People’s Committee, then established and effectively and safely operated the HOPE Center˳ (Have only positive expectation) – temporary care center for children of pregnant women infected with COVID-19˳

“For me, those days are still vivid when I remember them˳ In the days of July, August, 2021, the number of hospital admissions due to pregnant women infected with COVID-19” data-rel=”follow”>COVID-19 increasing “dizzy” and also means that the number of babies born from mothers infected with COVID-19 also increases “huge”!

There were times when it seemed exhausting, seemingly powerless… but the whole team overcame difficulties to safely and effectively feed 259 infants and children of mothers infected with COVID-19 ˳ After nearly 4 months of operation, on November 1, 2021, HOPE Center closed its mission,” said Assoc˳

Mr˳ Nguyen Phuoc Loc – Head of the Organizing Committee of the City Party Committee, Head of the City’s Health Care and Protection Department – said that this was a special meeting˳ He highly appreciated the efforts of the health sector, Hung Vuong Hospital, HOPE Center in the recent COVID-19 pandemic˳

“Ho Chi Minh City leaders recognize, appreciate and will never forget the contributions of medical staff, volunteers and nannies at HOPE Center”, Mr˳ Phuoc Loc emphasized˳

At the meeting, many mothers and volunteers” data-rel=”follow”>volunteers was touched when recalling the difficult days but also left a lot of emotions˳ Ms˳ MLK, 31 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City, choked when she said that after 29 days in the hospital being treated for COVID-19 and at home, she had just met her son˳ She was overjoyed to see that her son was healthy, nursing, and sleeping well˳ She thanked the medical team for helping her mother and daughter have “round mother, square child”˳

She also expressed her gratitude to the teachers and volunteers who gave so much love to the children˳ “There is no blood, but the brothers and sisters still take care of the children while their mothers are suffering from COVID-19˳ Only love can take care of them like that,” said Ms˳ K˳

Percentage of infants infected by mothers with COVID-19

According to a comprehensive study on March 16, less than 2% of infants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus after being born to mothers with COVID-19˳