Quy Hoa National Leprosy Dermatology Hospital in Quy Nhon city has been separated from other parts of the province due to the incurable disease and a sinuous mountain pass. However, the unfortunate people who are living here still aspire to live and love despite their disease.
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A view of Quy Hoa village.
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Getting married in the leper camp
In a dilapidated house located at Quy Hoa village, Hoang Ngoc Mung recalled his story. “When I was 32, I found many red marks on my elbows and knees,” he said. “After I had had a medical test, I knew I was infected with the leprosy and I was advised to go to the Quy Hoa Hospital for further treatment in one or two years. I decided to go here in 1977.”
Living in Quy Hoa until 1982, he met Nguyen Thi Phan, who is also a leper. They then decided to get married and live there together even though their families opposed their marriage. Their love story has become a “legend” of the village.
Trinh Ngoc Tay, another leper, also has a similar love story. In 1954, he found he was infected with the leprosy when living in Tam Ky district, Quang Nam province and he went for a treatment in Hue in 1958-1959. Tay, however, came to live in Quy Hoa one year later because of the shortage of specific for the leprosy and inferiority complex.
His disease was successfully cured then, but the after-effects of his illness made him hesitate over whether to go home or not. When he was hesitating, he met a woman, who was also living there. They loved each other and their wedding took place in late 1974.
Bright for tomorrow
Mung and his wife now live with their two children in Quy Hoa. Their son who was born in 1987 is now studying at Binh Dinh College while their daughter born in 1989 is very beautiful. Both of them are not infected with the leprosy.
Trinh Ngoc Tay and his wife also have a daughter named Trinh Thi Kim Lien. After graduating from a medical secondary school, she returned to Quy Hoa and has worked here since then. Lien got married with a man whose parents are lepers in the village.
All-pervasive love in the village
Doctor Toan who guided us through the village has worked here for 7 years. “Each patient is offered a monthly allowance of 120000 VND and those who have children will get more 30000 VND,” he said. “Also, the hospital offers each patient the financial assistance of 30000 VND.”
After graduating from Ha Noi Medical University, Toan had worked in Ha Noi for 10 years before moving to Quy Hoa.
Nguyen Thanh Tan, who is the director of the hospital, is another doctor dedicating his life to the lepers. Doctors Tan, Toan, and the whole staff at the hospital are now helping not only patients living the leper camp but the others in 11 provinces.
According to doctor Vu Ba Toan, there are now 365 households in Quy Hoa and many of them decided to live there forever after their treatment was finished.
The houses in the village are now full of laughter. “We are very grateful to the Government because we all are offered free treatment and accommodation,” said Nguyen Thanh Guong, a leper. “Many of them are centenarians.”
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