Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son (first from right) and leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases. (Photo: VNA)

According to the decision, Son is assisted by three deputy heads from local medical establishments, namely Director of Cho Ray Hospital Nguyen Tri Thuc; Director of Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute Phan Trong Lan; and Director of HCM City Institute of Public Health Dang Van Chinh.

The division aims to support professional activities in monitoring and responding to the epidemic; patient treatment; testing; quarantine; and communications work in the city and relevant neighbouring localities.

It also inspects and assists the city's implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures in line with the directions of the Party Secretariat, the Government, the Prime Minister, and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, as well as professional guidance of the Ministry of Health.

The ministry requested the municipal Department of Health to direct relevant agencies and district-level authorities to closely coordinate with the unit and follow its professional recommendations.

HCM City: Nearly 2.3 trillion VND registered to fund COVID-19 vaccine procurement

The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City said 105 organisations, businesses, and individuals have to date pledged to contribute 2,293 billion VND (100 million USD) to support the city’s purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.

By June 14 afternoon, the committee had received over 211 billion VND for the purpose.

Since March 20, a municipal board for the mobilisation and distribution of the city’s COVID-19 prevention and control fund has received more than 297 billion VND worth of donations from organisations, firms, and individuals in Vietnam and overseas.

The board has distributed over 200 billion VND of the sum, including cash and kind, to forces directly involving in COVID-19 prevention and control in hospitals, medical centres, quarantine sites, border areas. The financial assistance has also reached needy people affected by the pandemic./.

Source: VNA

HCM City extends social distancing order for two more weeks as COVID-19 outbreaks grow

Chairman of HCM City People's Committee Nguyen Thanh Long on Monday agreed to prolong city-wide social distancing in line with the Government's Directive No 15 until the end of June, amid developments of coronavirus outbreaks in the city.