Vietnam Airlines has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the UK-registered charity Facing The World
(FTW) and the World Alliance of Airway Management (WAAM).
Facing the World launched a new approach to
sustainable healthcare, resulting in self-run centers of
excellence in the countries where it operates,
providing crucial surgery to children born with disabling facial
deformities.
According to the cooperation agreement, over the next five years
Vietnam Airlines will fly specialist FTW teams to Vietnam to
provide training for Vietnamese doctors, enabling them to
perform life-changing operations on children born with
disabling facial deformities.
The airline will also donate key equipment to
Vietnamese hospitals that will facilitate complex surgeries, and
will conduct other charitable activities
across the country.
“Thousands of children in
Vietnam need urgent surgery to their head and neck, to treat
physical abnormalities that limit their quality of life. But
despite huge advances in medical care there, many are unable to
access the treatment they need. These cases can be incredibly
complex and require highly specialist skills in difficult airway
management, often because their breathing structures are
distorted,” said Katrin Kandel, CEO of Facing The World. “Having the support of both Vietnam Airlines and the
World Alliance of Airway Management, doctors in Vietnam can now
train in the latest techniques to manage these challenging
surgical cases. Our fellowship programmes in the UK, US and
Australia allow doctors in Vietnam to increase the standards of
care and change the lives of children all over the country.”
Vietnam Airlines has also confirmed that it will
transport experts from all over the world for the WAAM Satellite
Conference to be held in Vietnam in 2024.
“Our long-term
goal is to help enable Vietnamese doctors to learn new techniques
and approaches from the world’s leading surgeons,” said Le Hong Ha
– President and CEO of Vietnam Airlines. “We are proud
to continue to support charities such as Facing the World and
not-for-profit organisations such as the World Alliance of
Airway Management. Through this cooperation, Vietnam Airlines
wants to affirm its role in supporting the healthcare sectors of
both Vietnam and the UK, thereby strengthening trust,
friendship and long-term cooperation between the two
countries.”
In addition to the above, Vietnam Airlines has
worked hand in hand with voluntary organisations to carry out
humanitarian missions, including supporting the transportation
of doctors and nurses from Operation Smile to provide free
surgery for children with cleft lip, cleft palate and
maxillofacial deformity; and from Vietnam Heart Programme to
support the cost of heart surgery for children.
The flag carrier currently operates 96 routes to 22 domestic and 27
international destinations with one of the
youngest fleets in Asia, including flagship aircraft such as the
Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliners, Airbus A350-900 XWBs and
Airbus A321neos.
