20/10/2025
In 1976, an influenza outbreak tore through several nursing homes in Vietnam, hitting the elderly with devastating speed. Medical supplies were scarce — no antivirals, no ventilators, not even reliable oxygen. Yet in one facility, the staff refused to surrender.
They turned to postural drainage, a simple but ingenious method: by gently tilting patients on towels or raising their abdomens, caregivers used gravity itself to help drain fluid from the lungs and keep airways clear. It was a small act of creativity born from desperation — and it worked.
While other homes lost dozens, this one recorded zero deaths.
Almost forgotten outside Vietnam, the story remains a quiet testament to human resilience — a reminder that innovation doesn’t always come from laboratories, but from compassion, observation, and the will to keep someone breathing. 💙
