Emotional reunions unfolded at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on the evening of October 10 as 12 Vietnamese military medical personnel returned from their peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

Representatives of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Military Hospital 175 and fellow members of Level 2 Field Hospital No. 7 gathered to welcome the returning personnel, who had completed their duties with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Families, relatives and friends also filled the airport, greeting the returning peacekeepers with handshakes, warm embraces and the joy of being together again after a long separation.

Most of the hospital's personnel had already returned to Vietnam on September 27 after completing their assignments. The remaining 12 stayed behind in South Sudan to keep the hospital operational and oversee the handover to Level 2 Field Hospital No. 8, the incoming Vietnamese contingent.

During the final stage of their deployment, the 12 personnel faced a heavy workload across multiple areas as most of their colleagues had already departed.

Despite the reduced staffing, the hospital was still required to maintain the full operational capacity of a Level 2 medical facility. Each remaining member had to take on responsibilities beyond their professional specialization, covering medical examinations and treatment, operational duties, external relations, logistics and the security and safety of the unit.

Alongside their regular responsibilities, the personnel were also tasked with carrying out a comprehensive handover to Level 2 Field Hospital No. 8.

The process went well beyond inventory checks and the transfer of facilities, equipment and medical supplies. It also involved handing over clinical procedures, operational arrangements and coordination mechanisms with UN mission authorities, international units and local partners.

Equally important was the transfer of practical knowledge accumulated throughout the deployment. The outgoing personnel worked directly with their successors, sharing experience in medical care, operations, logistics, military affairs, external relations and community engagement to help ensure continuity of the mission.

Even while operating with limited personnel and preparing for the handover, the hospital remained ready to respond to unexpected assignments. These included two nearly simultaneous aeromedical evacuation missions involving four patients.

The operations demonstrated the Vietnamese peacekeepers' ability to organize resources, coordinate effectively and maintain their sense of responsibility during the final days of their deployment in South Sudan.

Beyond fulfilling their own assignments, the personnel also provided direct guidance to the incoming team, passing on the experience gained throughout their deployment to help Level 2 Field Hospital No. 8 take over its responsibilities smoothly.

With the safe return of the final 12 personnel, 62 of the 63 members of Level 2 Field Hospital No. 7 have now returned to Vietnam. One member remains in South Sudan, continuing to serve as part of Level 2 Field Hospital No. 8.

Their homecoming marks the completion of the withdrawal and handover process for Level 2 Field Hospital No. 7 in South Sudan, closing a chapter of Vietnam's participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations.