Vietnam meets UN operational readiness standards for field hospital in South Sudan

On Tuesday, the Vietnamese field hospital underwent the UN’s Operational Readiness Assessment (ORA), conducted by a UN assessment team at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and was found to perform well across all core requirements, mission officials said.

The ORA is a routine evaluation used to examine the preparedness of military units, including medical forces, to carry out their mandated peacekeeping duties.

The assessment team was led by Colonel Nergui Sodnom, Force Medical Officer of UNMISS, along with representatives from relevant mission departments and the Unity Sector.

Colonel Sodnom said Vietnam’s field hospital met all assessment requirements and demonstrated solid readiness to operate in a complex mission environment.

He praised the hospital’s professional conduct, cooperative spirit, and clear progress in medical expertise and communication skills, while urging continued efforts to further strengthen operational capacity.

The assessment team conducted a detailed review of medical operations in the Unity Sector, identifying Vietnam’s field hospital as one of the key focal points.

The review covered command and control, personnel management, military and medical training, logistics and technical support, standard operating procedures, contingency planning, safety and environmental hygiene, communications, civil-military coordination, and compliance with UN discipline and codes of conduct.

A key component of the assessment was a mass-casualty response exercise involving Vietnam’s field hospital and level-1 field hospitals in the sector.

Designed to mirror real operational conditions, the drill simulated 10 casualties with varying injuries.

In line with UN procedures, level-1 field hospitals carried out on-site triage and initial care before evacuating patients to Vietnam’s field hospital for advanced treatment.

The exercise took place under considerable pressure amid staff shortages, with part of the hospital’s staff on scheduled leave and several personnel reassigned at short notice to act as simulated patients.

Despite these constraints, the hospital completed all requirements successfully, ensuring patient safety and full compliance with UN standards.

The assessment team highlighted the hospital’s effective command organization, flexibility, and strong coordination among its departments.

The hospital also responded effectively to an unexpected cardiopulmonary arrest scenario introduced by the inspection team, demonstrating rapid reaction and solid clinical competence.

Speaking after the assessment, Major Tran Duc Tai, director of Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 7, thanked the inspection team and Unity Sector units for their support and constructive feedback, noting that hospital staff remained fully committed to maintaining high standards despite personnel shortages.

At the closing session, Colonel Emmanuel Kanoba, deputy commander of the Unity Sector, praised the professionalism and discipline displayed by the Vietnamese hospital throughout the assessment.