[2017-06-24]
















 

Medical workers brainstorm at the South Hamgyong Provincial People’s Hospital.
PAK CHANG BOK / THE PYONGYANG TIMES
 Some months ago 135 medical workers donated their blood and flesh for a dying worker to bring him back to life.

On December 7 last year, Jo Yong Chol at the Hamhung Disabled Soldiers’ Essential Plastic Goods Factory got serious burns unexpectedly and was brought to the South Hamgyong Provincial People’s Hospital in a coma.
There seemed to be little hope for the patient who was suffering third-degree burns over 33 percent of his body, complicated by shoulder-joint dislocation and humeral head fracture.
The doctors of the hospital held an emergency consultative meeting to discuss immediate measures to bring him round.
An emergency treatment team was formed with Ryu Chol Ho, chief of the surgery department, as leader and Jo Kum Song as doctor in charge, and all buckled down to a round-the-clock treatment.
They first ensured that infection was prevented around the burned area and took follow-up steps to secure central vein, replenish fluid, strengthen heart functions and alleviate pain. The indexes of his life hanging in the balance got better one after another, bringing him to after two days.
A surgical consultation decided to carry out a necronectomy in order to prevent burn poisoning at the charred region, accelerate convalescence and enable the patient to control bodily functions.
Several rounds of operations required a lot of blood and suitable skin for skin graft.
Upon hearing about that, many doctors and employees went to the operating room to offer their blood and flesh.
The director, deputy director and other managers of the hospital took the lead, followed even by young nurses fresh from school.
Thus blood and flesh donated by 135 medical workers were transfused and transplanted to the ordinary worker in his 50s in the course of major operations including two necronectomies, three granulation tissue curettages, a diaplasis and three rounds of skin graft and over 20 rounds of minor operations.
During the treatment dozens of kinds of medicines and tonics were dosed to restore his energy and doctors held him up for several nights to prevent bedsores.
Thanks to their selfless devotion, he fully recovered his health and appearance as well in 62 days of hospitalization.
“The hospital is my second birthplace. How could I survive if it were not for our socialist system in which all the people form a large harmonious family? I want to offer my gratitude to the doctors and return the favour,” said Jo as he left the hospital amid well-wishers.
By Ri Sung Ik PT