The honour is the Party and State’s recognition of the healthcare sector’s role in caring for injured soldiers and civilians during the most difficult period of the resistance war against the US.
Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee, Nguyen Thien Nhan, noted that amid the fierce struggle, the Politburo decided to set up the Central Office so that South Vietnam could directly steer the revolution in the southern region.
The Central Office later established 24 units with different tasks. Among them, the civil medical board was tasked with coordinating with the military medical personnel to give emergency aid to injured soldiers and civilians in temporarily occupied areas, provide training for healthcare workers, and produce medicine, vaccines and simple medical equipment.
Nhan noted that the board faced countless hardships during the resistance war as they had to move their base constantly to avoid the enemy’s raids and bombing, while lacking medicine, equipment and food. However, they weathered all difficulties to help the injured recover and return to the fight, contributing to the south liberation and national reunification in 1975.
At the ceremony, National Assembly Chairwoman, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, presented the “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” title to representatives of the then civil medical board of the Central Office for South Vietnam.
