Recently, pharmacists at Long Chau pharmacy in Thai Nguyen shared their emotion upon receiving a handwritten poem from veteran Nguyen Duc Thanh. The poem read: "A store that aligns with people's hearts/Measuring precisely, perfectly/A small street counter, yet joyful/People carrying goods inside and out/No counterfeit goods allowed/Customer trust is more precious than gold/My parents advised me/Prioritize integrity in your profession/Customers remind each other of the store/All genuine products, buy quickly before they're gone/The store doubled in size/People say I am skilled in business".

The poem conveys sincere affection for the Long Chau pharmacy team from Mr. Nguyen Duc Thanh, using the pen name "Thanh Huyen". Photo: Huyen Nguyen

Nguyen Duc Thanh, who once fought on the Quang Tri battlefield, often visits the pharmacy to select healthcare products for himself and his family. For about one year now, his wife has frequently experienced leg cramps at night. The family tried various methods, and recently, his wife has shown positive improvements.

The veteran shared that what impressed him was not only the treatment's effectiveness for his wife but also the enthusiastic advice from Long Chau pharmacists. "Elderly people often feel anxious, so receiving detailed instructions from pharmacists on how to use medication and clear dosages brings immense peace of mind during treatment", he confided. This reassurance strengthened his family's resolve and inspired him to write poetry—a joy he has pursued for many years—as a thank you to Long Chau pharmacists for supporting his family's health.

On its journey to care for community health, the Long Chau team has often received unexpected tokens of appreciation from customers, such as handwritten letters, thank you messages, or simply a smile after their health improved. Long Chau pharmacists state that customer satisfaction and well-being are invaluable encouragement and motivation for the team to strive harder every day.

"The trust and affection of customers remind us of our mission, from the initial four pharmacies in TP HCM to 2,678 pharmacies nationwide today. That mission is to serve the community for a healthy Vietnam", a Long Chau representative shared. Accordingly, each of the 2,678 Long Chau pharmacies is working to become an initial healthcare touchpoint in the community, helping to bring quality, safe, and transparent pharmaceuticals and medical services closer to Vietnamese families.

Long Chau offers free health index measurements, helping to screen for early stroke risk for the community directly at pharmacies. Photo: Hoang Khanh

In addition to improving service quality at sales points, Long Chau also promotes community activities. Faced with extreme heat, many outdoor workers such as drivers, shippers, sanitation workers, street vendors, and construction workers temporarily set aside health concerns to complete their work. The system launched the "Long Chau Cooling Map" program, supporting residents nationwide. Specifically, Long Chau rapidly opened 1,000 "cooling stations" at pharmacies in central, densely populated areas to provide cool water, assist with blood pressure measurements, early stroke screening, and free health consultation, helping people proactively monitor their health.

Long Chau staff distribute water to ride-hailing drivers in TP HCM. Photo: Hoang Khanh

Pharmacies also serve as first aid points for dangerous heatstroke cases, helping patients get to the hospital promptly and contributing to saving victims during the "golden hour". At Long Chau, over 22,000 pharmacists are regularly trained in recognizing and managing heatstroke by leading medical experts, acting as community first aid volunteers in emergency situations.

The system also promotes community awareness programs on heatstroke prevention, proper first aid, and hot season healthcare. Accurate and accessible medical content, delivered through various forms (documents, banners at pharmacies, online platforms, customer support hotlines), helps people easily access and apply this information.

Additionally, leveraging technological strengths, the unit developed a new "Cooling Map" feature on the Long Chau application, accurately updating the locations of 1,000 "cooling stations" nationwide.

Long Chau recently celebrated reaching 2,678 pharmacies nationwide. Photo: Hoang Khanh

Through this program, Long Chau reaffirms its healthcare mission extends beyond the pharmacy counter, through practical actions. From supporting commuters in hot weather to emergency aid programs during natural disasters, over six years, the "Long Chau Se Chia" program has helped people easily access essential healthcare, aiming for a larger goal: building a healthy, sustainable community where "no one is left behind on the journey to good health".

"Among these, 2,678 pharmacies across 34 provinces and cities represent 2,678 commitments, 2,678 extended arms serving the community, contributing to realizing the aspiration for a healthy, sustainable Vietnam", a representative of the Long Chau Pharmacy and Vaccination Center System shared.

Kim Anh