African people honored a Vietnamese professor by naming a road after him
With talent and medical ethics, Prof. Nguyen Buu Trieu is not only respected by Vietnamese people but also abroad, where the people of Guinea named a street in his honor as a gesture of remembrance and appreciation.
Professor, People's Teacher Nguyen Buu Trieu passed away at 10:52 p.m. on July 16 at Viet Duc Hospital, where he devoted his entire life to work and service. He was 102 years old. Prof. Nguyen Buu Trieu is a symbol of medical ethics, a pioneer in bringing endoscopic urology techniques to Vietnam, who trained generations of top surgical doctors, and created the foundations for modern Vietnamese medicine.
Professor Nguyen Buu Trieu attended and delivered a speech at the 75th anniversary celebration of the Department of Surgery. (Photo: MOH).
THE LAST OF VIETNAM’S FIRST GENERATION OF SURGEONS
Nguyen Buu Trieu was born on February 3, 1923, Hue, a son of a royal family with a Confucian medical tradition. His father was a traditional physician who taught him: "Medicine is reason - a profession of caution and compassion". He was the last to pass away among Vietnam’s first generation of surgical doctors.
In 1939, he attended the Indochina Medical School (Ha Noi), became a resident student at the Protectorate Hospital (now Viet Duc Hospital), where he had studied directly under renowned masters such as Prof. Ho Dac Di and Prof. Ton That Tung. It was during this time that he shaped his lifelong ideal of saving lives as a guiding principle that would steer his entire career.
When the resistance war against the French broke out, the young doctor Trieu volunteered to join the revolutionary base, serving as the Head of Treatment Unit III - the predecessor of Military Hospital 103. In Chiem Ho (Tuyen Quang), he treated thousands of wounded soldiers under extremely harsh conditions.
The battlefield not only sharpened his medical skills but also forged his deep personal virtues, steadfastness, humility, and wholehearted dedication to treating patients.
From 1956, he returned to Viet Duc University Hospital and Hanoi Medical University. Throughout his career, he held several key positions, including: Head of the Urology Department (from 1958); Head of the Department of Surgery at Hanoi Medical University (1980 - 1998); Vice President of the Vietnam Surgical Association; and the first President of the Vietnam Urology and Nephrology Association (2000 - 2010).
During his assignment as head of the Vietnamese medical expert team in Guinea (Africa), Prof. Nguyen Buu Trieu performed numerous successful surgeries, helping to save many lives of local patients. His dedication and talent left such a profound impression that the people of Guinea named a street “Buu Trieu Street” as a tribute to the doctor from Vietnam.
A PIONEER OF UROLOGY AND ANDROLOGY IN VIETNAM
Prof. Nguyen Buu Trieu is recognized as one of the pioneers who laid the foundation for modern urological and andrological surgery in Vietnam. He was the first to introduce endoscopic prostate surgery techniques to Vietnam, directly implementing, teaching, and training generations of doctors nationwide. Thanks to him, tens of thousands of patients have received successful treatment through advanced, safe, and minimally invasive procedures.
With an innovative mindset and rigorous academic spirit, he also contributed significantly to the development of treatments for urinary stones, benign prostatic hyperplasia and congenital urogenital anomalies in men, fields that are highly complex and demand exceptional expertise.
Beyond being a skilled physician, Prof. Trieu was also a tireless medical scientist. He published numerous important applied medical studies and directly supervised many doctoral theses of high practical value, including research on congenital malformations of the male reproductive system, making substantial contributions to Vietnam’s medical science.
Throughout his lifelong career in medicine and teaching, he constantly reminded his students of a simple yet profound truth: “Medicine is a humanistic profession, one must keep learning, keep reading, and always live by the ethics of being a good person.” This philosophy was the foundation of his life, as a physician and as a teacher for over 70 years of tireless dedication.
Prof. Trieu was also the chief editor of many textbooks and specialized monographs on urological surgery and endoscopy, which became essential teaching materials for training future generations, enabling tens of thousands of patients to be saved and healed through cutting-edge, minimally invasive surgical techniques.
A TEACHER OF TEACHERS
The greatest legacy of Prof. Nguyen Buu Trieu lies not only in his professional reputation, but in the human legacy he left behind, hundreds of his students who went on to become physicians, professors, and leaders of hospitals across Vietnam.
Professor Tran Binh Giang, former Director of Viet Duc Hospital and a former student of Prof. Trieu, shared that Prof. Trieu was honored as “a teacher of teachers” for having directly trained generations of leading professors and surgical experts.
One of his former students once shared that being part of his endoscopic surgical team and even just observing through the endoscope was a great source of pride, as if witnessing a “miracle” and receiving inspiration directly from the teacher himself.
Not only teaching the medical skills, Prof. Trieu is also a role model of medical ethics, humility, and devotion. His students recalled that after each operation, he would often be exhausted, his gown soaked with sweat, but he always spoke gently with them. That dedication left a deep and lasting reverence in the hearts of those who followed him.
At the age of 98, Professor Trieu had an appendectomy which was performed by none other than his student, Professor Giang. The next day, he sat up and jokingly said, “This is my lifesaver,” moving everyone in the hospital room with his profound humility.
Prof. Nguyen Huu Tu shared that Prof. Trieu not only taught the knowledge but also the ethical principles of the profession: the ideal that “a good physician is like a gentle mother.” Even into his 80s, he continued guiding doctoral dissertations and assisting in complex surgeries. When teaching, his meticulous, strictness but inspiring presence left a lasting impression on his students: “To practice medicine is to serve and to bring hope to patients.”
On the morning of July 21, hundreds of family members, colleagues, students, and generations of young doctors gathered at Funeral House No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong Street (Hanoi) to bid a final farewell to Professor - Doctor - People’s Teacher Nguyen Buu Trieu.
In the condolence book, General Secretary To Lam wrote with heartfelt emotion:
“With deepest sorrow and respect for Professor, Doctor, People’s Teacher Nguyen Buu Trieu, a scientist who dedicated to Vietnam’s healthcare sector, contributed significantly in protecting and treating people's health. He was a shining example of the noble medical ethic “A good physician is like a gentle mother.” His entire life was devoted to the sacred mission of protecting and caring for the people’s health. His passing is a great loss for the nation, for the health sector, and for his family. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family during this time of profound grief. We are forever grateful for the professor’s kindness and support toward my family.”
Kienthuc.net
