Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has an online meeting on Thursday with Dr Takeshi Kasa, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific. — VNA/VNS Photo

Dam, who leads the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control, had an online meeting yesterday with Dr Takeshi Kasa, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, to discuss vaccine supply, Vietnam’s response to the outbreak and the country’s access to vaccines.

Deputy Minister Dam spoke highly of WHO’s role in the fight against the pandemic and thanked the organisation for offering assistance to Vietnam over the past one and a half years since the pandemic broke out.

He said the Vietnamese Government has made efforts to accelerate the implementation of its vaccination strategy to achieve herd immunity soon and resume socio-economic activities as well as ensure public health and social security.

He proposed the WHO promote vaccine delivery under the COVAX Facility and transfer of vaccine production technology to Vietnam, aiming to help regional countries soon get access to vaccines.

Dr Kasa said he appreciated Vietnam's effective COVID-19 response measures, noting that drastic and focused direction from senior leaders along with communications on pandemic prevention and control measures have been effectively implemented with the engagement and strict observation of the entire community.

Vietnam has become a good example in the region for its response to COVID-19, he said.

He spoke highly of Vietnam’s precise and effective approach to vaccines. Vietnam has made stable investments in pandemic prevention and control, especially attracting the participation of the private sector and promoting public-private partnerships (PPPs) for technology transfer and vaccine production.

In the context of the pandemic, the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific recommended countries not to loosen preventive and control measures even if the majority of the population have been vaccinated.

He pledged to continue to support and stand with Vietnam in responding to the pandemic.

The representative said he would accelerate the transfer of vaccine supplies under the COVAX mechanism and vaccine production technology to Vietnam.

The two sides agreed to strengthen co-operation and exchange policies and safety regulations on vaccination to maximise the role of the WHO in supporting countries in combating the pandemic.

The WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific thanked the Vietnamese Government for donating US$500,000 to the COVAX mechanism and successfully treating a WHO expert who contracted COVID-19.

Source: Vietnam News

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