Around 9:30 AM on 30/7, a mother and her family rushed their 6-month-old baby to the Long Chau Pharmacy and Vaccination System near their home in Son Duong commune, Tuyen Quang province, after the infant suddenly turned blue. Specifically, upon arrival, the baby's lips, fingertips, and toes were cyanotic (bluish), and her cries were weak, suspected to be due to milk aspiration. Recognizing this as an urgent situation, doctor Doan Thi Nguyet Minh and the medical team at Long Chau Vaccination Center quickly performed initial first aid measures. The baby's cries gradually became stronger, breathing stabilized, and the color of her lips and extremities returned to a healthy pink.

Doctor Nguyet Minh checks the baby's condition immediately upon arrival. Photo: Hoang Khanh

Witnessing the baby overcome the dangerous situation, the family could not hide their emotions. The baby's relative recounted that the child had been playing with her grandmother when she vomited milk and turned blue, leaving the grandmother unsure what to do. Afterward, the family brought the baby to Long Chau Vaccination Center. "The doctors wholeheartedly supported us, providing timely first aid for our grandchild and monitoring her until she was stable. The family is very grateful to the Long Chau team," the relative said.

Doctor Doan Thi Nguyet Minh stated that at Long Chau, the team always understands that public healthcare extends beyond daily professional activities; it also involves being ready to assist in emergencies when people are in need. With a healthcare network close to the community, every Long Chau medical professional is aware of their responsibility to be present and coordinate timely responses from the very first minutes. "The baby's stable condition motivates us to continue refining our expertise, coordinating closely, and maintaining readiness during every shift," doctor Minh said.

The doctor explained that infants and young children, especially in their first year of life, face a high risk of vomiting, regurgitation, and aspiration because their digestive systems and swallowing reflexes are not yet fully developed. This risk can increase if a child feeds too much, feeds in an incorrect position, or is laid down immediately after feeding. When milk aspiration occurs, a child may exhibit symptoms such as choking, difficulty breathing, blue lips, blue extremities, weak crying, or an inability to cry. This situation requires prompt treatment to limit the risk of oxygen deprivation and other serious complications.

Doctors monitor the baby's health after first aid. Photo: Long Chau

Prior to this incident in Tuyen Quang, Long Chau medical professionals have provided emergency first aid and successfully transferred patients to hospitals during the "golden hour" on numerous occasions. Examples include a 12-month-old baby who aspirated milk, leading to airway obstruction; a woman who suffered a stroke; an elderly man suspected of having a myocardial infarction; and an anaphylactic reaction after a cosmetic procedure, all in TP HCM. Other cases include a child choking on a foreign object in Da Nang and a male patient suffering a grade 3 anaphylactic shock after being stung by hornets in Ca Mau.

The Long Chau medical team regularly receives training and updates on first aid knowledge and skills from reputable specialized units such as Bach Mai Hospital, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at TP HCM, and the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross. This continuous training prepares them to serve as community emergency volunteers.

Kim Anh