18-month-old child suffers many serious illnesses

Nguyen Bao Ngoc Diep (born in 2023) is the youngest child among the three children of Nguyen Quoc Duy (born in 1993) and Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang (born in 1998), residing in Quang Hoi 2 Hamlet, Van Thang Commune, Van Ninh District. Since birth, Diep has suffered from many serious illnesses such as heart septum defect, pneumonia, vocal cord paralysis, and congenital hyperpigmentation.

18-month-old Nguyen Bao Ngoc Diep

Diep has had difficulty in breathing due to severe heart and lung disease and has to have an endotracheal tube inserted into the trachea through her neck. Diep also has many skin lesions as a result of congenital hyperpigmentation. 

Diep’s parents don’t have stable jobs. Duy works as a mason, earning around VND380,000/day; however, it is difficult to find work during rainy season. Trang has a small food stall near their hired room. The stall often brings the family VND200,000-300,000/day on sunny season. The husband and wife have worked hard to earn a living and raise their children. 

Diep is very weak and is suffering from malnutrition because of her serious illnesses. The child often cries at night because of itching and sores. Each time the parents take their child to Ho Chi Minh City for treatment, they have to bring along an oxygen tank, a phlegm suction machine, medications, and other supplies in case Diep has breathing trouble. Duy and Trang have to carry her child back and forth between Nhi Dong 2 Hospital and Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Dermato-Venereology. As informed by the doctors, Diep’s larynx needs to be monitored. Only if it can recover on its own, can heart surgery be performed. As for Diep’s skin disease, it is treated with daily antibiotics only.

The treatment cost has worsened the already difficult circumstance of the family. They had to borrow VND40 million at a high interest rate to pay the child’s treatment cost. Their relatives are also in difficult circumstances and unable to provide support. Some people have offered some support to help the family cover Diep’s medical expense. However, with debt piling up, the parents feel almost helpless because they cannot afford their child’s medical expense any longer while Diep's illnesses require intensive treatment.

As reported by Huynh Van Hoa, chairman of Van Thang Commune People's Committee, the locality will guide the family through the necessary procedures to apply for social assistance for people with disabilities. Through Khanh Hoa Newspaper, the locality hopes that readers everywhere will offer support to help Diep’s family overcome their difficulties.

People who want to help Nguyen Bao Ngoc Diep can contact Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang (tel: 0362576227) or Khanh Hoa Newspaper office (tel: 0258.3822019) at 77 Yersin St., Nha Trang City. Support can also be sent to Khanh Hoa Newspaper’s bank account at Vietcombank Nha Trang (account number 0581000765262).

T.D 
Translated by H.N