Belgian doctor builds liver transplant program in Vietnam
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Raymond Reding, a doctor from Belgium, began collaborating with Children’s Hospital 2 in Vietnam in the late 1990s to develop pediatric liver transplant capabilities.
Reding initially aimed to share expertise in gastrointestinal diseases, but hospital leaders envisioned a full organ transplant program. Over five years, Reding and the hospital team prepared the necessary infrastructure, equipment, and training, culminating in the first successful pediatric liver transplant in southern Vietnam in 2005. Since then, Children’s Hospital 2 has performed 74 liver transplants.
Reding emphasized that building a skilled and coordinated medical team was as important as technical expertise, recalling a challenging first surgery where the team saved a patient’s transplanted liver. The program continued functioning independently during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating its sustainability. Reding now believes the hospital’s expertise meets international standards, positioning it as a leading pediatric transplant center in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
He hopes Children’s Hospital 2 will eventually be able to perform around 100 transplants annually and become a regional referral center for children needing transplants, even from other countries. Doctors and families credit Reding with giving children a second chance at life, and describe him as a mentor and friend.
