An ambulance rushed into the Kim Man Yu Hospital in Pyongyang as it rang the bell in late September.

A patient was carried down from the ambulance, his face bandaged all over.

Medical workers of the emergency department were surprised to see his face after undoing the bandage.

The face was terribly torn and crushed by a working tool through his carelessness.

He was Won Tong Hyok, a 29-year-old worker at the Sangwon Cement Complex.

An emergency consultative meeting was held right away.

“The patient had deep wounds on the forehead, eye and nose, so we decided to arrange a joint medical operation involving departments of neurosurgery, ophthalmology, otolaryngology and craniology,” said Kim Hon Jong, director of the hospital.

The heavy bleeding caused by the rupture of the artery and left eyeball led to a drastic drop in the blood pressure and pulse.

After fixing the indices for maintaining his life, proficient medical workers performed an operation for three hours.

The worst was over, but no one could predict the result of the operation due to the injured brain.

The director and other doctors called on him every day to see how he was.

They gave the patient treatment for over 20 days to restore the cerebral metabolism and remove inflammation at the eye socket and maxillary sinus.

As they did their best for the treatment, they provided him with tonics and health foods to improve his nutritive condition that got bad due to severe bleeding.

“I felt brotherly affection from doctors as I saw them rejoicing at my fast recovery and encouraging me. And I am fully experiencing the benefits of the socialist free medical care,” said Won.

According to Kim Myong Su, deputy chief of the ophthalmic department who took part in the operation, the patient will be able to leave the hospital in a few days after an artificial eye is fixed in the left eye socket.

By Jong Tang Song PT