Observation report

Welcoming Dr. Lan from Hanoi, Vietnam. November 3 – 7, 2006

As our NPO Ubiquitous Blood Purification International (UBPI) develops its Vietnam assistance activities going forward, we have decided to invite a local dialysis specialist, Dr. Tran Ngoc Lan, Director of the Hanoi Friendship Hospital Kidney Center, to the 36th Eastern Regional Meeting of the Japanese Society of Nephrology for discussions.

Dr. Lan visited Japan from November 3rd to 7th, during which time he was also able to catch up with his old friends in Fukushima where he studied dialysis before. It was an extremely productive stay for both Dr. Lan and our organization.

Dr. Lan arrived at Narita Airport where he was met by Mr. Koreyuki, who has long been active in Fukushima building amicable relations with Vietnam, and in the early evening checked in at the InterContinental Yokohama Grand Hotel. Later, he had dinner with Professor Hyodo and us from the secretariat. The topics discussed over the dinner included the current state of medical care in Vietnam and the way we should proceed with our assistance activities in future.

The following morning, he attended the 36th Eastern Regional Meeting of the Japanese Society of Nephrology held at a conference hall in the Pacifico Yokohama next door to his hotel. That afternoon, he visited a dialysis facility to learn more about Japanese dialysis treatment and the state-of-the-art equipment used there. For lunch, he ate dialysis food created for dialysis patients.

Professor Hidai and Professor Hyodo showed Dr. Lan around Kamakura on the 5th, before taking him on the Yamabiko Shinkansen straight to Fukushima, where he was welcomed by our NPO’s advisor, Professor Emeritus Shiroiwa and others. He had the chance to renew some old acquaintances from his student days in Fukushima and Koriyama on the 6th, and then on the 7th he flew back home to Hanoi from Narita Airport.



Hideo Hidai
Ubiquitous Blood Purification International (UBPI)