Tran Quang Hien, Director of the An Giang Department of Health (left), presented the Golden Status Award from the World Stroke Organisation to the An Giang Cardiovascular Hospital.

This is the first medical facility in the Mekong Delta region certified by the WSO to receive such an award.

The award will help the hospital's stroke unit to improve quality in serving patients and treating strokes. According to the WSO’s standards, besides early treatment during the "golden time", preventive measures against reoccurring strokes must also be taken.

In October 2018, the An Giang Cardiovascular Hospital started using intravenous thrombolysis for treatment of patients with acute strokes, ensuring that patients with acute ischemic strokes are treated urgently and minimise multiple sequelae for the patients.

Doctor Bui Huu Minh Tri, the hospital’s director, said every year, the hospital receives and treats about 800 stroke patients who are given emergency care through the "red stroke alarm process" at the hospital. This is a procedure developed by the hospital to ensure that stroke patients are examined, tested, have brain CT scans and treated as soon as possible within 3 hours to 4.5 hours since they have symptoms.

Speaking at the ceremony, Tran Quang Hien, Director of the An Giang Department of Health, congratulated the medical team of the An Giang Cardiovascular Hospital for raising the level of medical care of the province and shortening the time for diagnosis and treatment to save lives of stroke patients. Thus, it helps to contribute to providing better care for people of An Giang and the Mekong Delta region.

In the coming time, the hospital will coordinate with medical facilities in the province to conduct remote consultations, early detect strokes, and improve professional skills. It also strives to win the Platinum Status Award from the WSO./.

Mekong Delta photo festival opens for entrants

An art photo festival showcasing the beauty of the landscape and local people of the Mekong Delta is calling for entries from photographers living in the region.

The 36th Mekong Delta Regional Art Photo Festival 2021 will be jointly organised by the Việt Nam Association of Photographic Artists and the Union of Literary and Art Associations of the southern province of Bạc Liêu.

According to the organising board, the event is part of the celebration of national major holidays and achievements of both the nation and the Mekong Delta region and maintains exchanges in artistic activities within provinces and cities in the region.

Themed Mekong Delta – Integration and Development, the art photo festival is open to all professional and amateur photographers living and working in the Mekong Delta region, including 13 provinces and cities: An Giang, Bạc Liêu, Bến Tre, Cà Mau, Cần Thơ, Đồng Tháp, Hậu Giang, Kiên Giang, Long An, Sóc Trăng, Tiền Giang, Trà Vinh and Vĩnh Long.

Entries are accepted in all genres of photography such as landscape, portrait and daily life which are expected to reflect the beauty of nature and people in the region.

Other eligible works include those picturing the international integration of the region; outstanding individuals; new rural and transformation projects; protection of the sovereignty of national borders, sea and islands; and the beauty in the cultural and spiritual life of ethnic minorities.

The organising board particularly encourages photos with humane messages such as spreading love, sharing difficulties and joining hands in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each photographer can submit up to eight works. Entries that have won awards, or been in national and regional photo exhibitions organised or sponsored by the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists are not accepted.

The entries must be uploaded on the festival website lienhoananhkhuvuc.vn by September 30. The organising board will select the outstanding entrants from October 3-10 and announce the winners on October 15 prior to the launch of the festival in December. 

263,250 Pfizer vaccines arrive in Hanoi via COVAX

An additional 263,250 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine arrived on August 27 in Hanoi.

According to details given by UNICEF, along with the vaccines delivered to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi over the past two days, the batch of 1,065,870 Pfizer doses given to the nation by COVAX and the United States has now completed its delivery process.

This comes after US Vice President Kamala Harris announced at a meeting on August 25 with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh that the US has decided to donate approximately one million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to the country.

Following the additional donation, the total number of vaccines given by the US has now reached six million doses.

VP Harris also committed an additional US$23 million in order to help the nation expand its distribution and access to vaccines, combat the spread of the pandemic, and prepare for the threat of future diseases.

Winner of The Factory Artist Excellence Award announced

Vietnamese visual artist Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai has been named the winner of the Artist Excellence Award by The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre.

Along with a cash prize of 160 million VND (around 7,000 USD), Mai will also have her own exhibition.

The award aims to honour Vietnamese artists (including overseas Vietnamese) who are creative and have outstanding contributions to the local community.

Mai, born in 1982 and residing in Hue city of the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, holds a MA degree in Visual Arts of Mahasarakham University, Thailand. She has been working as a lecturer at the Hue College of Arts under the Hue University for almost 15 years.

Mai has received sponsorship from the Australian War Memorial Museum to develop her research in 2018. Her works have been exhibited in exhibitions in many countries including Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines and Indonesia.

In 2014, she received an award from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. She organised her own exhibitions in Cambodia in 2015 and Germany and Croatia in 2016.

According to Mai, who owns a rich treasure of works in various kinds such as fine arts, photography, sculpture and performance, art is a tool for her to observe and understand herself. She has visualised her questions and imaginations on the history and the society.

She has expanded her exploration from women in Asia to many other issues such as those related to war veterans, migrants, and trans-gender./.

Soldiers offer people support amid COVID struggles

"Zero-đồng supermarkets on buses" and "zero-đồng mini-supermarkets" launched by the Hà Nội armed forces are supporting people in the capital affected by the pandemic.

The mini-supermarkets provide food to poor households, workers who have lost their job and students who are stuck in the city during social distancing. 

The model was first set up by Military Command in Tây Hồ District and has been developed by other localities in the capital. 

The Hà Nội Capital High Command units have opened 14 zero-đồng supermarkets on buses, and 26 zero-đồng mini-supermarkets so far.

More than 14,000 gifts, worth VNĐ5.2 billion (US$227,400), were also presented to people in difficulty.

The armed forces have also coordinated with communes to purchase agricultural produce from local farmers, with nearly 150,000kg of all kinds of vegetables and tens of thousands of chicken eggs.

"These activities show care for families in difficult circumstances during the pandemic, and we want people to join hands and unite with the armed forces to soon repel COVID-19," Major General Nguyễn Quốc Duyệt told Kinh tế & Đô thị (Economics & Urban Affairs) newspaper. 

In Nam Từ Liêm District, the Hà Nội Capital High Command on August 21 opened a zero-đồng mini-supermarket in Mỹ Đình 1, Trung Văn and Xuân Phương wards. 

About 1,400 packages of food including rice, vegetables, fruit, eggs, peanuts, fish sauce and cooking oil were given to people in difficult circumstances.

Nguyễn Thị Hoan, a resident from Xuân Phương ward, said: "I lost my job for nearly two months and have to stay at home due to social distancing. We are very hard-up because my husband is sick. I am very grateful for the help of the soldiers."

Nguyên Viết Dị, 73, a disabled man living in Trung Văn ward, said his family has had no income since Hà Nội implemented social distancing measures. His wife could not go to the market to sell joss paper and other paper objects. 

"We want to say thank you to the soldiers. Their gift is really meaningful to my family right now," Dị said. 

Meanwhile, each household in difficulties in Đống Đa District has received a “gift voucher” worth VNĐ500,000 through the local government to buy goods from the supermarket opened by the local Fatherland Front Committee and the Military Command.

The supermarket model was also set up in Ba Đình District. 

Gift packages worth VNĐ300 each were also given to 600 households in Ngọc Hà and Đội Cấn wards.

"These small gifts are the help and encouragement of the soldier officers to people who face difficulties during the pandemic. We will coordinate with units and other organisations to set up more supermarkets to help more people," said Colonel Doãn Kim Tuyến. 

Vietnamese weightlifter Le Van Cong receives bonus from VSAD

Weightlifter Le Van Cong has been awarded a bonus of VND50 million from the Vietnam Sports Association for Disabled Athletes (VSAD) after his medal-winning performance at the ongoing 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

In addition to the Paralympian athlete, Cong’s coach Le Quang Thai was also presented with a bonus of VND20 million.

Furthermore, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung also sent a congratulatory message to the Vietnamese weightlifter on winning silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Indeed, Van Cong’s achievement marks the first medal won by the Vietnamese delegation at the global sporting event.

Van Cong competed in the 49 kg weight category in powerlifting at the ongoing 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, successfully lifting a total of 173 kg after three attempts. This effort saw him finish second and win a silver medal, narrowly missing out on gold in the process.

Van Cong is also notable for becoming the first-ever Vietnamese athlete to win a Paralympic gold medal, setting a world record by lifting 183 kg back in the 2016 version of the competition.

PM inspects COVID-19 prevention and control in Dong Nai province

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 27 inspected COVID-19 prevention and control in Thanh Phu commune in Vinh Cuu district of southern Dong Nai province, and worked with provincial leaders on the fight against the pandemic.

In Thanh Phu commune, PM Chinh extended his encouragement to front-line forces and volunteers joining the COVID-19 combat as well as local residents in locked down areas. He also examined food and foodstuff supplies, COVID-19 vaccination and local medical stations.

The PM spoke highly of Vinh Cuu district’s efforts to prepare abundant food supplies and put into operation tens of mobile medical stations to provide timely treatment for COVID-19 patients.

In a later working session with provincial leaders, PM Chinh highly evaluated the leadership and direction of the Party Committee and administration of Dong Nai as well as consensus and support of local people in COVID-19 prevention and control, thus helping to gradually control the pandemic and limit deaths.

As the pandemic has been still developing complicatedly in Bien Hoa city and Nhon Trach and Vinh Cuu districts, the government leader asked provincial authorities to strengthen social distancing measures in these localities.

Dong Nai must consider each commune, ward and town as a fortress and each resident as a soldier, he said, adding that administrations at all levels must place people at the centre of the fight against COVID-19, meaning local authorities must care for people’s lives while people have to participate in combating the pandemic.

He also requested provincial authorities to pay attention to social welfare and ensuring security and order, and safety of people in sealed off areas.

PM Chinh asked the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and agencies to provide more human resources and medical equipment and supplies to support Dong Nai province.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Cao Tien Dung reported at the working session that Dong Nai had recorded nearly 21,000 COVID-19 cases. The province has conducted mass testing so as to early detect infections in the community and striven to control the pandemic by the end of this month, he added./.

Industrial workers’ safety top priority amid pandemic: Deputy PM

Deputy Prime Minister Lê Văn Thành has instructed businesses in HCM City’s industrial parks and export processing zones to strictly comply with COVID-19 preventive measures to ensure the safety of workers.

Inspecting pandemic prevention efforts in the city on Friday, he said: “Workers’ lives and health are firms’ most valuable assets. We cannot maintain production unless they are safe.” 

Since the number of cases had risen rapidly at industrial zones and enterprises across the south, and they had to implement the ‘3 on-site’ model of workers eating, sleeping and working on-site, workers must be tested for COVID periodically to promptly detect any cases.

“Just one infected worker can easily spread the infection to the whole production line, factory and industrial park, creating an outbreak.” 

A spokesperson for Germany firm Pepperl+Fuchs said 206 of the firm’s 879 employees had been staying on-site and been provided with three meals a day since July 12.

It tested them twice a week and paid 175 per cent of their normal wages, he said.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên said businesses could only remain open if all workers receive at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. The city has vaccinated 86 per cent of workers so far. 

Workers must also get rapid testing done once a day and PCR testing once a week, and strictly comply with prevention regulations. 

The city plans to vaccinate all 286,000 workers and 3,000 experts at industrial parks and export processing zones, and 47,000 workers in high-tech zones.

Speaking at a meeting on Thursday Deputy PM Vũ Đức Đam said the city should try to vaccinate all people aged over 18 to achieve herd immunity as soon as possible, gradually reopen the economy and bring life back to normal.

As of Thursday the city had vaccinated 5.62 million people, with almost 237,000 getting both shots. The former include 573,771 people aged above 65 or with underlying diseases.

According to the National Centre for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, of the city’s nearly seven million people aged 18 or over, 80 per cent have received the first shot.

The HCM City Centre for Disease Control said hospitals were treating 37,993 COVID patients, including 2,321 under 16 years, 2,697 of them critically ill and on ventilators and 20 with ECMO intervention.

Almost 63,000 patients had been quarantined, monitored and treated at home, of whom 23,659 people had fully recovered but remained under mandatory 14-day home quarantine.

Another 15,854 were in quarantine facilities.

Districts had begun to speed up testing of people in red zones (extremely high-risk areas) and orange zones (high-risk) to detect infections, and so the number of cases was expected to surge in the coming days.

The country’s COVID hotspot has recorded nearly 200,000 cases since late April. 

On Monday the city began a strict policy that requires “everyone to stay at home.” 

FM Son holds phone talks with Australian and Serbian counterparts

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son held phone talks with his counterparts from Australia and Serbia on August 27 and thanked them for COVID-19 vaccine donation to help Vietnam combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Talking to his Australian counterpart Marise Payne, Son thanked his nation for donating more than 400,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which is the first batch of 1.5 million vaccine doses that Australia has pledged to support Vietnam.

Australia’s timely support will help Vietnam accelerate vaccination, Minister Son said, while affirming Vietnam’s determined to urgently access and bring home more vaccines, medical equipment and drugs. The country stays ready to repurchase or borrow vaccines in advance from other countries to fast-track its domestic vaccination drive.

Australian FM Payne expressed sympathy for the complicated pandemic situation in Ho Chi Minh City and other Vietnamese localities and pledged her efforts to soon deliver the remaining 1.1 million vaccine doses to Vietnam.

She also promised to urge UNICEF to use Australia’s support funding to bring more vaccines to Vietnam this year, and continue working with relevant ministries and sectors to quickly provide essential medical equipment and supplies such as ventilators, patient monitoring machines, facemasks and protective gears to support the country's fight against the pandemic.

The two ministers showed their elation at the strong development of the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership over the past time and discussed a range of measures to push up bilateral relations in the time ahead. They consented to continue maintaining and organising meetings at all levels and existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms in specific fields.

They also expressed their satisfaction with growing bilateral economic and trade ties, in which two-way trade surge by nearly 50% in the first seven months of 2021.

Both sides agreed to soon finalize negotiations towards the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two Foreign Ministries and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to soon complete a strategy to step up economic cooperation between Vietnam and Australia.

They concurred to consider the recognition of each other's vaccine passports to facilitate travel and trade between the two countries.

Minister Son suggested the Australian side offer favourable conditions to welcome Vietnamese students back to Australia, and consider signing an agreement to receive Vietnamese workers to become involved in a new Australian agriculture visa programme.

Minister Payne congratulated Minister Son on the occasion of the 76th National Day of Vietnam. The latter thanked and invited former to visit Vietnam at a convenient time in the coming time.

During his phone talks with his Serbian counterpart Nikola Selakovic the same day, the two diplomats concurred to bolster cooperation in priority fields, especially politics, diplomacy, economy, and trade.

They also pledged to expanding collaboration in potential spheres such as labour cooperation and information technology. 

The pair expressed their appreciation for the effective cooperation between the foreign ministries which was demonstrated by delegation exchange at the ministerial level and political consultations at the deputy ministerial level as well as close coordination at international forums.

Selakovic greatly valued the long-standing traditional friendship between Serbia and Vietnam with a history of more than 60 years and affirmed the determination of Serbian leaders and people to boost ties the Southeast Asian nation across multiple fields.

On the basis of the good friendship between the two countries, the Serbian Government has decided to donate vaccines and medical equipment to support Vietnam's battle against COVID-19.

The Serbian minister also expressed his confidence that with the determination and efforts of the Vietnamese Government and people, the country will definitely contain the pandemic.

On behalf of the Government of Vietnam, Son sincerely thanked the Government and people of Serbia for the decision to donate vaccines to Vietnam, considering it a noble gesture and a demonstration of the time-honoured between the two countries and sincere affection between the two peoples.

The Vietnamese diplomat highlighted Serbia's valuable and timely assistance as a contribution to helping Vietnam soon curb and push back the COVID-19 pandemic.

Son also suggested the Serbian side consider ceding its surplus vaccines, providing medical equipment and supplies to treat COVID-19 patients as well as cooperation in transferring vaccine production technology to Vietnam.

The Serbian FM used the occasion to invite his Vietnamese counterpart to pay an official visit to Serbia and the invitation was graciously accepted.

Soldiers will be sent to support Binh Duong with COVID-19 prevention

The Ministry of National Defence will send 2,000 soldiers to help with COVID-19 prevention and control efforts in southern Binh Duong province.

Lieutenant General Ngo Minh Tien, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, said at a meeting with Binh Duong’s leaders that the ministry will send 50 mobile health centres to 11 ‘red zones’ and 15 ambulances to Binh Duong to help the province’s pandemic prevention and control work.

Binh Duong is the province with the second-highest COVID-19 cases in the fourth wave of the pandemic in Vietnam, exceeding 86,000 infections. The number of COVID patients is forecast to increase in the next two weeks as the province will perform the third round of large-scale testing.

The province has proposed the Government provide support by sending around 50 intensive care doctors, 50 specialised doctors, 100 experienced intensive care nurses, 100 nurses and technicians, 10 invasive ventilators and 20 non-invasive ventilators, four mobile X-ray machines and 100 hand-held SPO2 meters for measuring oxygen saturation.

Binh Duong province has also assigned the Department of Industry and Trade to coordinate with localities to provide food and essentials for more than 719,000 residents in ‘red zones’.

Each bag of essentials is worth 50,000 VND (2.2 USD) per person a day. This is to ensure food and necessities for people and workers who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The province’s Fatherland Front Committee has received support with an amount of 510 billion VND (22.4 million USD), of which over 218 billion VND (9.5 million USD) in cash and nearly 300 billion VND (13.1 million USD) in medical facilities, food and necessities.

Up to now, the province has supported nearly 1.4 million people related to the support policies of the Government and the province, the total amount is nearly 760 billion VND (33.3 million USD)

According to Binh Duong province’s Steering Committee for Pandemic Prevention and Control, the coordination between the Military and Public Security forces has been implemented to ensure and maintain security and social order in key check points in the province, especially 11 ‘red zones’ for 15 days./.

HCM City vaccinates children, uses anti-viral drug molnupiravir to treat home-based COVID-19 patients

HCM City has just launched a mobile application called “Y Tế HCM” (HCM City Health) to help monitor COVID patients at home, which can be found on the App Store and Google Play.

Users can make a daily health declaration, quickly contact health authorities in case of emergencies, and seek health consultation from medical staff or the app’s virtual assistant.

The application was launched by the city’s Department of Health, Department of Information and Communication, Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group, FPT Group, and a network of medical staff.

Many mild and asymtomatic COVID-19 cases are treating themselves at home to relieve the burden on hospitals under the city’s “home-based care” programme, which provides medicine packages and instructions to patients at home.

The Ministry of Health on August 25 announced that the antiviral drug molnupiravir will be part of the medicine package.

Yesterday, 16,000 doses of the drug were sent to districts across the city to be distributed to COVID patients who are under quarantine at home. 

The drug has been designated only for people with mild symptoms, and its usage will be carefully monitored by medical staff.

According to the Ministry of Health, 360 patients have used the drugs in two phases of clinical trials.

A review of phase 1 with 160 participants evaluated on August 24 initially gave positive results for safety and tolerance, especially for the ability to clear the viral load in patients who have moderate or mild symptoms within five days.

Molnupiravir was developed by the US-based pharmaceutical companies Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck & Co., Inc.

Việt Nam is importing the medicine, and domestic manufacturers of the drug are sponsoring it.

Vaccination

According to a plan issued by the HCM City Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on August 15, districts can start inoculating children aged 12 to 18 if there are enough suitable vaccines for the age group, from September 1 to 15.

According to the HCM City Centre for Disease Control, as of August 27, the city was treating about 38,000 COVID-19 patients, including more than 2,300 children under 16 years old. 

HCM City has been pushing to vaccinate adults as quickly as possible.

Nguyễn Hoài Nam, deputy director of HCM City Department of Health, said that over 76 per cent of adults over the age of 18 in the city have received their first COVID-19 vaccine shot, and more than 3 per cent have received their second shot.

HCM City is working to ensure that city residents can get their second shot in the appropriate timeframe for different brands of vaccines. The Pfizer vaccine's second shot should be administered three to four weeks after the first.

HCM City, Việt Nam’s COVID-19 epicentre, has had more than 194,000 cases since late April. 

There are more than 52,000 COVID-19 patients quarantining at home, including over 24,000 who were discharged and are self-monitoring at home.

Japan’s football club wishes to boost exchanges with Vietnamese peers

Japan’s Cerezo Osaka football club wants to exchange more with Vietnamese football clubs and seeks excellent players, the club's President Hiroaki Morishima said at a recent meeting with Nguyen Hong Ha, Vietnamese Consul General in Osaka.

At the meeting, Motoo Isogai, a representative from Yanmar limited company, the main sponsor of the Japanese club, said the company wants to expand its business in Vietnam and sponsor Cerezo Osaka’s projects on exchanges and football development in ASEAN member states.

For his part, Ha said since Vietnamese goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, who is popular in Vietnam, began playing for Cerezo Osaka earlier this year, the club has been on the radar of the Vietnam Football Federation and Vietnamese fans.

More than 450,000 Vietnamese expats in Japan, including over 80,000 in Kansai, will be a great source of fans for the Japanese club, the diplomat added.

He hoped that in the future there would be more Vietnamese players playing for the club.

He stated the Consulate General is willing to assist the club and Yanmar company in increasing their exchange activities as well as investment and cooperation in Vietnam.

At the meeting, the Cerezo Osaka - Yanmar ASEAN Dream Project was introduced. The project is designed for ASEAN children who want to become professional football players, with the goal of setting up a dream team of ASEAN young players and bringing them to Osaka for friendly matches. In 2018, five young Vietnamese players joined the project.

ICT plays crucial role in fight against COVID-19

Information and communication technology (ICT) has played an important role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Huy Dung said during the video talk “Ket Noi Trong Dai Dich” (Connections during the Pandemic) earlier this week.

“Technology is helping to connect hospitals and doctors with patients, and needy people with donors, so we can together repel the pandemic," he said.

Telehealth services were launched at the beginning of the pandemic for remote consultations in Vietnam. About 2,000 central hospitals are now connected to all district-level hospitals across the country.

Since the fourth wave of the pandemic, the telehealth system has opened new connections with COVID-19 treatment hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, and with Binh Duong and Long An provinces for transfer of emergency cases among hospitals.

As for other IT uses, HCM City has piloted a search engine at website http://tracuuf0.medinet.org.vn/ to help families of COVID-19 patients look up information about their health status.

COVID-19 patients can also connect with medical staff on apps such as VOV Bacsi24, Giup toi! and Zalo Connect.

Vong Thanh Cuong, a representative of Giup toi!’s development staff, said it took only 30 seconds to connect doctors with people through the app. “That’s what people expect. When they need help, they need support from experts immediately to feel at ease.”

Nguyen Truong Nam, Deputy Director of the Information and Technology Department at the Ministry of Health, said the application of ICT in COVID-19 prevention and control has earned achievements in telemedicine, tracing, testing and vaccination.

It has also helped connect charity organisations with the needy and people affected by COVID-19.

The Vietnamese messaging application Zalo recently introduced a new feature Zalo Connect, which received more than 320,000 messages in 15 days.

Nam said that although the application of technology solutions had brought results, local authorities should send accurate instructions to people so that technology solutions are used more effectively./.

HCM City receives medical supplies, vehicles for COVID-19 fight

Ho Chi Minh City’s People's Committee on August 27 received medical supplies and vehicles worth 161 billion VND donated by the Truong Hai Automobile Joint Stock Company (THACO) in support of the city's COVD-19 fight.

The donation comprises 500,000 rapid COVID-19 test kits, 30 specialised ambulances, 25 mobile vaccination trucks.

Addressing the handover ceremony, Phan Van Mai, Standing Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, Chairman of the municipal People's Committee, said the city appreciated contributions and support of individuals, businesses and organisations in the current difficult period.

According to Tran Ba Duong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of THACO, in addition to equipment for an ambulance, the 30 spcialised ambulances is installed a negative pressure disinfection and cleaning system, serving the transport of COVID-19 patients.

Earlier, THACO donated 1.85 million rapid COVID-19 test kits, supported 25 mobile vaccination trucks for southern provinces with the complicated pandemic situation./.

HCM City relocates people in poor living conditions

More than 2,000 people living in extreme poverty have been temporarily moved to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 and ensure social order during social distancing.

Many were living in shacks on the banks of canals, others cramped in small homes or boarding houses. But they all have been given support and new accommodation as the City authorities attempt to reduce the number of coronavirus cases. 

The residents, which includes the elderly with health problems, have moved from wards 12 and 27 into the Thanh Đa Hotel and an apartment block in Bình Thạnh District. 

They will each be given an allowance of around VNĐ500,000 (US$21.9), and food will be made available. The citizens will also have access to vaccinations. 

Đinh Khắc Huy, chairman of Bình Thạnh District’s People’s Committee, said the local authorities decided to relocate people after examining apartments and asking for feedback.

This action not only ensures that people will be supported and received medical care, but will also minimise infections and fatalities.

The relocation work was being carried out over three days.

Mã Thị Minh Thảo, a resident living in a boarding house in Ung Văn Khiêm street, is happy with the move.

Thảo said: “After moving here, our family also receive meals, drinks, other essentials stuff and VNĐ2 million (US$87.7) in cash. It was so surprising.”

Currently, around 600 people have moved to Thanh Đa hotel and Apartment 1050. The 30 square metres rooms are fully equipped with electricity and water which is designed for three to four people.

The remainder of the people being moved should all be in their temporary accommodation later today.

This is a pilot model and if successful, will be implemented in the future in other Districts which are densely populated, vulnerable to disease outbreaks, and have residents with low income. 

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has signed a dispatch giving shelter and providing social welfare to the homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The dispatch has been sent to authorities of provinces and centrally-run cities as well as the Ministers of Public Security and of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

It said the pandemic has rendered many people homeless and jobless, and their movement puts them at risk of contracting and spreading coronavirus.

The PM requests localities to instruct police and other competent forces to gather such people in shelters for COVID-19 testing and transfer them to welfare facilities so that welfare and pandemic prevention measures can be implemented in line with regulations.

Recovered COVID patients join the frontlines in HCM City

 

Many recovered Covid-19 patients have joined the fight against the pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City, which is the epicentre of the current outbreak. Their presence at hospitals gives strength to doctors and patients battling the virus.

As he helped to deal with Covid-19 when the pandemic first broke out in Ho Chi Minh City, soldier Tran Thanh Tu unfortunately became infected.

After being treated at Field Hospital No 1, he understood the difficulties doctors are facing as Ho Chi Minh City sees its worst outbreak to date, with a surge in cases and deaths ramping up pressure on health authorities.

Immediately after being discharged from hospital, Tu volunteered to stay on to help bring food and take care of patients.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Hong and three other drivers also caught Covid-19 patients while on duty transporting doctors and patients.

Immediately after recovering, they continued their work at the field hospital to provide care and emergency transport of patients.

More than 1,000 recovered patients have volunteered to stay on at quarantine facilities, hospitals, and emergency centres, to help health workers struggling to cope with the influx of new patients.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has recently called on people, especially those in Ho Chi Minh City, who have recovered from COVID-19 to volunteer to work on the frontlines with medical workers.

The reinfection rate is low, but is still possible, so recovered patients are also recommended to take preventive measures and get vaccinated as soon as possible.

According to experts, immunity among people who have recovered from the disease is strong and even stronger than those who have been fully vaccinated.

Their presence at hospitals will give strength to doctors and patients battling the virus./.

US-supported project strengthens efforts to protect wildlife

Prosecution rates for wildlife violations have increased 50 per cent over the last three years thanks to a project which focuses on protecting wildlife in Việt Nam.

That was one of the key results of the USAID Saving Species project announced in Hà Nội on Friday, at a virtual event that marked the end of its five-year implementation.

The US-supported project began in 2016 with coordination between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

It helped the Vietnamese Government to improve and harmonise the legal system related to wildlife protection, strengthen law enforcement and prosecution of wildlife crimes, and reduce demand and illegal consumption of wildlife. 

Reports showed that thanks to the project, prosecution rates for wildlife violations have increased from 25 per cent in 2018 to 75 per cent in 2021.

Three social behaviour change communication campaigns run by the project and the CITES Management Authority of Việt Nam have raised public awareness about wildlife protection, with a focus on reducing consumption of ivory, rhino horn and pangolin products.

Among high income earners, the percentage of buyers of ivory decreased from 16 per cent in 2018 to nine per cent in 2021, and the percentage of buyers of rhino and pangolin products decreased from eight per cent in 2018 to six per cent in 2021.

The project also supported the development, amendment and adoption of four important legal documents that are key to ensuring consistent management and protection of wildlife in Việt Nam, resolving legal gaps and overlapping regulations.

It trained more than 2,600 officials from agencies including forestry protection departments, customs officials, environmental police, wet market managers, border guards, courts, and prosecutors to help them more effectively tackle wildlife crimes.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Quốc Doanh said: “The joint effort of USAID and the Vietnamese government through USAID Saving Species project has contributed significantly to protect wildlife species and maintaining important eco-services to the national and regional sustainable socio-economic development.”

USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock added: “USAID is proud to support Việt Nam to reduce consumer demand for illegal wildlife products, build wildlife law enforcement and prosecution capacity, as well as augment and harmonise the legal framework for combating wildlife crime in Việt Nam.

"We are very pleased to see that the cooperation between the two countries through this project has brought meaningful results. Việt Nam is a critical partner of the United States for countering wildlife trafficking.”

Through subsequent projects, USAID will continue to support effective protection of wildlife and the strengthened cooperation of the two countries in wildlife crime prevention and control. 

HCM City provides social welfare packages for homeless and poor residents

HCM City has prepared 1.8 million social welfare packages so far for the homeless and poor.

Each free package, valued at VNĐ300,000, includes rice, vegetables, cooking oil and spices for one week.

Out of 1.8 million packages, the city has sent 492,076 packages to localities to support people in need.

The city will continue to mobilize resources to prepare an additional 2 million social welfare packages as planned.

On August 25, the city gathered around 300 homeless people to send them to shelters.

District 4 gathered 116 homeless people living along Võ Văn Kiệt Street and beneath Móng and Calmette bridges and sent them to shelters.

Eleven of them tested positive on their first COVID test, the rest were vaccinated.

Đỗ Thị Trúc Mai, deputy chairwoman of District 4 People Committee said that the district would make sure all homeless people in District 4 get vaccinated.

Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, instructed the city on Monday to gather and test homeless people.

At shelters, they will be tested for COVID-19, and if positive, they will be sent to quarantine facilities, and if not, will be assigned to shelters for care and get vaccinated. 

During the two-week stay-at-home period, district authorities will speed up COVID-19 testing for people in the red (extremely high-risk) and orange (high-risk) zones.

The city’s Department of Health is working with districts to set up mobile vaccination teams in the red and orange zones. People living in these areas will go to their nearest mobile unit for vaccinations.

The plan aims to separate positive cases from the community, and control the outbreak as soon as possible.

The city is also speeding ​​up its vaccination schedule.

The city has classified all 312 communes and wards into three groups: green zone (free of COVID cases), orange zone (high-risk) and red zone (extremely high-risk). The goal is to maintain and expand the green zones while isolating and reducing risks in red and orange zones. 

Hanoi students to start school year with virtual ceremony on September 5

Students across Hanoi will celebrate the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year with a virtual ceremony, to be broadcast live on the TV and radio channels of Hanoi, amid the complicated developments of COVID-19 in the city.

According to a new document issued by the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, a school in the city will be selected for the ceremony to take place, which will be broadcast live from 7:30 to 8:30 on September 5.

Teaching and learning activities will start the next day in the online form line with the plan for the school year, applying to all levels of education except for kindergartens.

Hanoi is now under social distancing to curb COVID-19 spread. The capital has to date recorded a total of 3,385 cases and 38 deaths, according to the city's Health Department./.

About 1,000 delegates to attend 12th national youth congress

The 12th National Congress of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) is set to take place in Hanoi in December next year, with the participation of 250 guests and 1,000 official delegates.

The HCYU Central Committee has rolled out plans for the organisation of congresses at all levels and the 12th National Congress for the 2022-2027 tenure.

In 2022, grassroots-level congresses must be held before May 31; district-level congresses by August 15 and provincial level ones by mid-October.

In accordance with the plans, the preparation and organisation of the events must be carried out in an innovative, democratic, effective, safe and practical manner.

The 12th national congress of the HCYU is scheduled to be organised in two days and a half.

In preparation for the congress, the organising board and its sub-committees will be set up before next year. Draft documents will also be completed this year in order to be made public for feedback starting the first quarter of 2022.

Top legislator visits national population data centre

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue paid a working visit to the national population data centre under the Ministry of Public Security on August 27.

NA Chairman Hue appreciated the completion of the national population database project and the system for making, granting, and managing citizen identity cards on schedule in July 2021.

He stated that the Government is building an e-Government towards a digital government, digital economy, and digital society, and promoting administrative reforms to create favourable conditions for people and businesses in socio-economic development. To that end, there must be big databases connected to each other.

The national population database is one of the six major national databases that have been prioritised by the Prime Minister to be carried out since 2015. It is also the core data and the foundation of the country to build and develop the digital Government, the digital National Assembly, and step up administrative reform to better serve the development needs of people and enterprises.

Since March 2020, the Ministry of Public Security has implemented a national database on population and citizen identification granting. This is a particularly important database to set up the electronic identity of citizens, contributing to the implementation of national digital transformation, and serving population management as well as the promulgation of guidelines and policies on socio-economic development, and ensuring national defense and security in the coming time.

Specifically, the National Population Database has served the prevention and control of COVID-19 such as offering population management software in pandemic-hit areas, COVID-19 vaccination software, and the verification of resident information to carry out social welfare support packages quickly and accurately.

Hue’s working session took place a few days after the 42nd ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) General Assembly which conveyed a message of an ASEAN valuing digital transformation and developing digital economy in order to expand development space and better adapt to global issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic./.

Loan finishes sixth in powerlifting, Tùng disqualified in swimming

Vietnamese Châu Hoàng Tuyết Loan finished sixth in the women's 55kg powerlifting category in the Paralympics in Tokyo yesterday.

In her three attempts, the 46-year-old failed to lift 95kg at first, before succeeding in her second and third lifts of 97kg and 103kg, respectively.

Her position had been predicted by her coach Nguyễn Hồng Phúc who said competitors in her class were very strong.

The winner was world record holder Mariana Shevchuk of Ukraine who was successful in her first lift of 125kg.

Xiao Cuijuan of China and Besra Duman of Turkey came second and third, both lifting 124kg. Xiao took second as she is 0.84kg lighter than her rival.

It was Loan's fifth time at the world largest sport event. Previously, her best result was fourth place in the 48kg category at the Beijing Games in 2008.

Earlier, Vietnamese swimmer Võ Thanh Tùng was disqualified from the men's 50m butterfly S5 event after making a technical mistake.

It was Tùng's third event in Tokyo. He will still compete in the men's 50m backstroke on Saturday and 50m freestyle on Monday.

On Saturday, Trịnh Thị Bích Như will take part in her third and final race in the women's 100m SB5 breaststroke, while Đỗ Thanh Hải will participate in his only event in the men's 100m SB5 breaststroke.

Nguyễn Thị Hải will throw discus in the women's F57 class, while her husband Cao Ngọc Hùng will join the men's javelin F57 discipline.

Hùng won a bronze medal at the Rio Paralympics with a throw of 43.27m.

PM asks Binh Duong to quickly conduct COVID-19 testing for residents

 

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 27 inspected Covid-19 prevention and control work in southern Binh Duong province.

PM Chinh, who is Head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control asked Binh Duong to consider each ward, commune and factory as a fortress, and each person as a soldier in this combat. He also requested the province to strive to put the pandemic under control from September 15.

The provincial People’s Committee proposed the Government and the Ministry of Health to continue allocating vaccines to inject 2 million people living in high-risk areas and providing drugs to treat COVID-19 patients.

Binh Duong is home to 2.5 million people. It has to date recorded over 86,000 COVID-19 cases, of whom 9,715 are being quarantined at home. As of August 26, the province had administered 801,601 vaccine doses.

To date, over 2.1 million local people have received support with the total funding of 1.12 trillion VND (49 million USD). The provincial People's Committee is proposing the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Finance to consider a plan to support local budget spending of 7.65 trillion VND./.

Vietnam receives 403,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by Australian Government

The Australian Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City on behalf of the Australian Government handed over 403,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Vietnam on August 27.

The delivery of these doses is the first installment towards Australia’s commitment of 1.5 million AstraZeneca doses to be shared with Vietnam this year, in support of the Southeast Asian nation's COVID-19 response

Julianne Cowley, Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, said the handover of 403,000 doses of vaccine was part of the country’s continued commitment to Vietnam as a close friend and strategic partner.

Australia is also providing an additional vaccine-related support package to Vietnam through its partnership with the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) worth nearly 30 million USD. They include additional doses of vaccine, syringes, and cold chain equipment, training for health workers, as well as supporting vaccination in remote provinces.

According to Cowley, although Australia is also struggling with the Delta variant, much of Australia is under lockdown and the Australian health sector is also working hard to vaccinate its people but Vietnam will not be alone in the fight against COVID-19.

Australia will continue to work closely with Vietnam and other partners in the region to respond to the pandemic, she said, adding that accessing to effective COVID-19 vaccines will support the region's future recovery and stability, and prosperity.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son said that the vaccine support from Australia at this time is very timely for Vietnam's vaccination implementation in the context that many provinces and cities are coping with an increase in the number of COVID-19 infection cases. Currently, 58 out of 63 provinces and cities across the country have recorded COVID-19 cases, especially in densely populated areas and industrial parks with many people.

“This batch of vaccine from the Australian Government aid has arrived in HCM City in the context that the entire political system and people are trying their best to control and prevent the spread of COVID-19,” he said.

The support of the Government and people of Australia is of great and precious significance to Vietnam in the fight against COVID-19, Son said, adding that it is more meaningful as the two countries are approaching the important milestone of 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations, contributing to further promoting the Vietnam - Australia strategic partnership.

He said that the Ministry of Health of Vietnam is committed to distributing vaccines against COVID-19 to localities based on the actual pandemic situation, meeting the urgent requirements of pandemic prevention in an appropriate, effective and equitable manner./.

Spanish Embassy launches cultural events to keep people’s stress away amid COVID-19

The Embassy of Spain in Vietnam has launched an array of cultural events which encourage Vietnamese people to take part in while staying at home amid COVID-19 resurgence.

The events form part of the embassy’s effort to share the burden with the Government and people of Vietnam in the COVID-19 fight.

They create platforms for promoting creativeness and keeping people at home to prevent the spread of the virus while helping them escape from stress and boredom.

The embassy in collaboration with the Hanoi-based Vietnamese Women’s Museum is inviting entries for a drawing contest called “The World Needs Superheroines,” which aims to portray, celebrate, and radiate respect for women in all aspects of everyday life – the people who, with their work and actions, have contributed to creating a better life.

It is open to everyone with no limit on age or artistic skills. Entries must be sent to emb.hanoi.sc@maec.es before the end of October 15, 2021.

A workshop on “How to draw a super heroine” will be held on September 4 as an activity leading to the contest.

The embassy has also launched a literary contest to encourage reading and writing in Spanish and spark interest in Spanish culture in Vietnam. It is the second of its kind, following the success of the first edition last year.

Entries must be composed in Spanish in the form of stories, poem, or rap song videos on different topics, such as 21st century: The century of women, music and art of living, protection of nature, solidarity and others. They should be sent to emb.hanoi.sc@maec.es before the end of October 12, 2021.

In addition, the embassy in partnership with LaLiga and Cervantes Institute has introduced the first-ever Vietnamese-Spanish bilingual glossary book on football. Vietnamese football fans will be provided with free access to the book./.

Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper launches Russian, Spanish versions

The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Online Newspaper on August 27 launched its Russian and Spanish versions.

Readers can access these versions at the following addresses: Russian: ru.dangcongsan.vn; and Spanish: es.dangcongsan.vn, vietnamamigo.vn.

With this move, the online newspaper now has five foreign language versions, namely English, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

Editor-in-Chief of the CPV Online Newspaper Tran Doan Tien introduced the content and design of the pages in the Russian and Spanish languages, adding that they will convey to readers the latest information about Vietnam; guidelines and directions of the Party, and policies and laws of the State; Vietnam's viewpoints and stance on international and regional issues; and the image of the country and people.

Recently, it also launched its App Mobile with a hope to better serve readers’ demand.

Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia highly appreciated the newspaper’s contributions to introducing and promoting the image of the country and people to international friends.

Earlier, the dissemination of information in the Russian and Spanish languages was developed on the “Communist Party of Vietnam - 13th National Congress” webpage from October 2020 and showed significant effects, attracting a large number of visits from international readers./.

Army Games 2021: Vietnam ranks fourth in Army of Culture’s choreographic skills (solo) event

The Vietnam People’s Army (VPA)’s art troupe came fourth among 13 countries in the Choreographic Skills (solo) event as part of the “Army of Culture” contest in the International Army Games 2021.

As of August 24, Vietnam had the same scores as China to be in the fourth position after Russia, Uzbekistan and Armenia.

The “Army of Culture” contest has been held for the first time during the Army Games 2021 with the competition of 13 countries - Vietnam, Venezuela, China, Azerbaijan, Laos, Armenia, Belarus, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka and Russia.

Vietnam joined all the four stages of the “Army of Culture” competition - instrumental genre, choreographic skills, vocal skills and exhibition activities.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Dang My Hanh, head of the Vietnamese art contingent said that this is not only a competition but also a chance for Vietnamese artists to exchange with their foreign peers and explore the cultures of other countries with a common desire of peace, cooperation and development./.

Vietnam’s tank crew receives encouragement during Army Games

Tank Crew No. 2 from the Vietnam People’s Army received great support and encouragement from Vietnamese people living, working, or studying in Russia during the competition on August 26 at the ongoing International Army Games, held at the Alabino military training ground in the suburbs of Moscow.

Though their first shot was not satisfactory, Tank Crew No. 2 made a great effort to hit four of the five targets and completed the event in 31 minutes and 23 seconds, finishing fourth.

Colonel Ho Viet Truong, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Armoured Forces and a member of the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnam People’s Army, who is visiting Russia, went to the military training ground to encourage the crew.

It also received support from a large number of Vietnamese living, working, or studying in Russia.

As planned, Tank Crew No. 3 will take part in the competition on August 29.

The International Army Games 2021 is taking place from August 22 to September 4, with the participation of 275 teams from 42 countries and territories worldwide competing in 34 categories.

This is the fourth consecutive year Vietnam has taken part in the international-level military multi-sports event./.

French politician lauds Vietnam's foreign policy

Vietnam is implementing a positive and constructive foreign policy, significantly contributing to the development in the Ssoutheast Asian region, said Denis Rondepierre, member of the French Communist Party (FCP) Central Committee.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 76th founding anniversary of Vietnam’s diplomatic sector, he said Vietnam’s official membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1995 started its regional integration process.

Vietnam has made important contributions to the development of the bloc, actively promoting the admission of Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia to the association.
Vietnam plays a central role in defining ASEAN's goals, development orientations and policies, and actively participates in building the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, he said.

2020 was an important milestone as Vietnam assumed the rotating ASEAN Chair, he said, noting that Vietnam gave priority to promoting intra-bloc cohesiveness and responsiveness to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rondepierre also mentioned other successes of Vietnam in its foreign policy and international integration, including the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

According to him, not only in the region, Vietnam has also improved its position in the international arena when successfully assuming its role at the United Nations (UN).

He called on France and Vietnam to strengthen bilateral cooperation, thus contributing to building economic links in the framework of the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which took effect one year ago.

According to the French official, the trade bond between Vietnam and France is concentrating on in a number of key sectors such as aviation, pharmaceuticals, farm produce, electronics and textiles.

Many French companies have set up production and business establishments in Vietnam. The European country has so far had 614 projects with a total investment capital of 3.6 billion USD in the Southeast Asian nation.

Rondepierre stated that France and Vietnam have increasingly reinforced their strategic partnership over the past years, including the fruitful development of traditional friendship and solidarity between the two communist parties./.

PM inspects COVID-19 treatment facilities in ​Binh Duong

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, on August 27, led a delegation to inspect anti-pandemic work in the southern province of Binh Duong, one of the hotspots of COVID-19.

Examining hospitals and medical facilities treating COVID-19 patients in Thuan An city, the PM requested the local authorities to bring quicker, friendlier, and closer health services to residents; and expand treatment for patients at wards and communes to reduce the overload at high-level medical facilities.

He said to reduce the number of deaths, it is necessary to make early detection and provide timely treatment of COVID-19 patients.

While in Thuan An, the Government leader toured the Dong Phu market in Thuan Giao ward - where the preparation of food aid packages is underway - and inspected a residential area in Binh Chuan ward, where he asked locals to call the local hotline for food relief to test the response.

Also on August 27, the PM is scheduled to work with leaders of the province regarding its COVID-19 prevention and control activities in the face of forecast that total infections in Binh Duong could reach 150,000.

Currently, 15 wards in Thuan An and Di An cities and Tan Uyen town, which house 1.2 million people, are under strict lockdown, with contact tracing urgently conducted in order to find infections in the community.

On August 27 morning, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long inspected the admission and treatment of COVID-19 patients and the operation of mobile medical stations in Tan Uyen town and Thuan An city.
PM inspects COVID-19 treatment facilities in ​Binh Duong hinh anh 2
Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long (first from R) during his inspection in Binh Duong (Photo: VNA)

He requested the localities quickly transform 50 quarantine sites into medical facilities with staff and basic equipment as guided by the ministry./.

Additional 1.4 mln doses of AstraZeneca vaccine delivered to Vietnam

Two batches of AstraZeneca vaccine with over 1.44 million doses were handed over to Vietnam on August 26, reported the Vietnam Vaccine JSC (VNVC) a day later.

It was the largest delivery, the 10th and 11th batches, under the VNVC’s order of 30 million doses with AstraZeneca, with the support of the Health Ministry. So far, AstraZeneca has sent a total of 8.2 million vaccine doses to the VNVC.

Chairman and General Director of AstraZeneca Vietnam and emerging Asian markets Nitin Kapoor said the acceleration of delivery testifies to AstraZeneca’s commitment to supporting Vietnam’s health care system in the fight against the pandemic, as AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told the Vietnamese Prime Minister in their recent phone talks.

To date, Vietnam has received more than 24 million vaccine doses from different sources, including 17 million doses of AstraZeneca under the VNVC’s contract, COVAX Facility mechanism and donations by foreign governments.

AstraZeneca vaccine now accounts for 64 percent of supplies nationwide./.

Vietnam calls for UN, international community’s support for Ethiopia

Vietnam has called on the United Nations (UN) and the international community to support Ethiopia but not to interfere in the African nation’s internal affairs.

During a meeting of the UN Security Council on the country’s crisis held on August 26, Minister Counsellor Nguyen Phuong Tra, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, voiced a concern that the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia worsens while dialogue, reconciliation and political process come to a deadlock.

It will be more difficult to seek solutions to the issue in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray if the situation prolongs, she remarked.

The Vietnamese diplomat urged the Ethiopian Government and concerned sides to put people’s interests on top and create more favourable conditions for safe and effective humanitarian aid, as well as expand aid access to areas in Tigray and border regions.

Tra said that the current conflict takes roots from political and historical reasons and racism, and has certain impacts on the region. Therefore, relevant sides must prioritise a ceasefire, conduct dialogue and begin a political process. 

Vietnam hopes that the sides will refrain from all activities that may plunge Ethiopia into chaos and affect peace and security in the country and region, she added. 

In his speech, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that military confrontation in Ethiopia’s Tigray region is spreading with serious political, economic and humanitarian implications for the country and the broader region, reiterating that “there is no military solution”.

He urged the parties to take action and immediately end hostilities. Full humanitarian access should be guaranteed for all areas in need and conditions created for an inclusive national political dialogue led by Ethiopia to address the causes of the conflict, the UN Secretary-General said./. 

PM asks for continued support to HCM City during pandemic peak

Ho Chi Minh City must ensure sufficient supply of food, social welfare and health care services for residents during the lockdown period to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

During a working session on August 26 with authorities of the city – the largest COVID-19 hotspot, the PM required the city to continue with drastic prevention and control measures and study a plan to relocate residents from densely-populated areas.

He noted the importance of communication activities to raise public awareness of citizens’ rights, obligations and responsibility for themselves and the community

Authorities of the city and its districts must enhance inspection and help lower-level administrations fulfill the set targets in fighting the pandemic while the army, public security and medical forces should respond to the city’s request, he stressed.

Ministries and agencies were also required to help the city at this peak time in the fight against the pandemic, and continue giving priority to the city in vaccine supply.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Phan Van Mai said the traffic in the city has decreased by 90 percent compared to the early days of social distancing. As many as 5.6 million doses of vaccine have been injected in the city.

The municipal authorities have worked with suppliers to bring goods to communes and townships, ensuring basic needs of residents while striving to maintain production and prevent supply disruption, he said.

Mai also suggested the Health Ministry, localities and agencies assist the city in personnel and equipment for pandemic prevention and control work at this critical period./.

400,000 doses of vaccines donated by Australia reached Viet Nam, more to come

A consignment of 403,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines donated by the Australian Government via COVAX Facility arrived in Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, HCM City, late Thursday.

The delivery of these doses is first tranche of the country’s commitment to share 1.5 million doses to Việt Nam within 2021, said Australian foreign minister Marise Payne.

The doses arrived as Việt Nam was responding to a surge in cases, she said, adding that “Australia and Việt Nam are strong, strategic partners with shared interests in maintaining a stable Indo-Pacific.”

Australian ambassador to Việt Nam Robyn Mudie added in a video message: “These doses will boost Việt Nam’s national vaccine rollout, and will help with efforts to ensure that everyone living in Việt Nam is able to receive vaccines as soon as possible.

“These doses have arrived at a critical point in Việt Nam’s efforts to control the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, as case numbers surge to levels that were unimaginable just a few months ago.”

The ambassador added that the embassy was working to bringing the rest of the 1.5 million doses contribution to Việt Nam as soon as possible.

The vaccine doses are in addition to Australia’s AUD$40 million package of vaccine-related assistance for Việt Nam, which includes assistance to help procure more doses through agreement with UNICEF, strengthening vaccine delivery (especially cold chain upgrades, immunisation planning and rollout in remote localities), training for health workers and officials, immunisation and regulatory policy strengthening through technical assistance from Australian experts.

“As a strong partner and friend, Australia is committed to supporting Việt Nam’s ongoing health response and economic recovery,” the diplomat remarked. 

Schoolgirl’s paintings celebrate COVID-19 prevention

To encourage COVID-19 frontline prevention forces during the lockdown in the central city of Đà Nẵng, primary school student Lữ Như Minh Minh, 11, has created several paintings showing the efforts made by nurses, doctors, police, cleaners and volunteers to beat the virus.

Minh, living in the coronavirus hotspot of Hải Châu district, said she was impressed by the actions of the pandemic forces over the past days, and her colour paintings came from her strong emotions. 

She was told by her mother that some doctors and nurses had not been home in two months, and they could even did not even see their children due to their important work.

Minh said public cleaners, policemen, soldiers and volunteers were brave to spend a difficult time in scorching weather at checkpoints and lockdown areas as they risked infection.

The schoolgirl said she was inspired by the performance of saxophonist Trần Mạnh Tuấn and other artists at the outdoor concert for health workers and COVID-19 patients at the HCM City’s Field Hospital No 3 early this month.

“I really want all people sharing smiles and positive messages to support frontline forces and leave their tiredness behind during the lockdown. My paintings give my best regards and thanks to doctors and nurses and staff working at field hospitals,” Minh said.

Minh’s mother Minh Tuyền said her daughter had started painting from four-years-old, and her painting collection was drawn from articles and media photos of doctors and nurses serving COVID-19 patients at hospitals as well as volunteers at lockdown living quarters.

Last year, Minh won first prize in a COVID-19 prevention painting contest. 

People in Đà Nẵng were ‘staying at home’ as per strict social distancing orders after a 10-day lockdown set to finish on Thursday.

The city said infection of around 150 SARS-COV-2 cases were recorded each day during the lockdown.

It said 1,370 sources of infection in community were found from 987,000 test samples throughout the city in 10 days between August 16-25.

The city will identify ‘red zones’ – entirely locked down areas – and high risk ‘yellow zones, and safer ‘green zones’ in the next 10-day extended social distancing period starting from August 27.

It said some traditional markets at ‘safe’ districts would be allowed to open again, while digital orders will be promoted along with travel for nearly 1,000 vaccinated shippers at assigned supermarkets.

The city plans to resume operation of Đà Sơn slaughter-house, Hòa Cường wholesale market and Cồn trading centre to avoid a shortage in key essential commodities supply chains.

Every child to have caregiver when receiving COVID-19 treatment

Every child at COVID-19 treatment facilities, concentrated quarantine areas or in home quarantine can now have a caregiver to meet all COVID-19 prevention and control requirements.

The move is part of a new guideline the Health Ministry sent to ministries, agencies and municipal People’s Committees on Wednesday regarding health quarantine for children.

If parents or caregivers are unable to be with children, local authorities will arrange personnel to take care of them. Competent health workers or volunteers at health facilities or quarantine facilities will be assigned to support the children.

During treatment or quarantine time, it must be ensured that the children can keep in contact with their family to avoid any stress, worry and fear.

Under the new guideline, Vietnamese children under 16 years old having close contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases can take health quarantine at home for 14 days. The children and their caregivers will be tested for SARS-CoV-2 at home following current regulations.

Previously, according to the ministry’s COVID-19 quarantine guideline for children issued early February, only children under five years old could take home quarantine. Those from five to 15 years old have to go to concentrated quarantine areas for seven days. If they are tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 at least three times, they can home quarantine for seven more days.

During the home quarantine, the children must have a healthy caregiver. Elderly people are not allowed to be with quarantined children. The caregiver, like the quarantined children, must not contact others and must be equipped with proper protective measures to prevent infection.

Local health authorities are responsible for supervising home quarantine and providing COVID-19 testing at least every three days and on the 14th day of quarantine.

The newly-issued guideline from the health ministry is said to help address public concern over children’s mental health when they stay at hospitals/concentrated quarantine areas.

Under the new guideline, children under 18 years old from other countries entering Việt Nam, having been fully vaccinated within 12 months or recovering from COVID-19 within the last six months, are subject to a seven-day health quarantine at concentrated quarantine areas.

They and their caregivers must take another seven-day quarantine at home.

Children from other countries entering Việt Nam that have not had the COVID-19 vaccine have to spend seven days in a concentrated quarantine area, seven days in quarantine at home and then have their health monitored for the following 14 days.

Children and their caregivers must be tested for SARS-CoV-2 on the first, seventh and 14th day after entering Việt Nam. 

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes