Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son (centre) symbolically presents the assistance from the Party, State, and people of Vietnam to Laos at the ceremony at Wattay International Airport on May 4

The support consisted of 500,000 USD in financial aid and medical supplies, including 2 million medical face masks, 200 ventilators, and 10 tonnes of the Chloramine B disinfectant.

Notably, the flight from Hanoi also carried 35 Vietnamese experts sent to help Laos in the fight.

On this occasion, the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, the Vietnam - Laos Cooperation Committee, and the Government Office of Vietnam also presented the Laos partners with 50,000, 500,000, and 20,000 medical masks, respectively.

At the handover ceremony, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung expressed the Vietnamese leaders and people’s sympathies for Laos on the difficulties and challenges facing the country in COVID-19 prevention and control.

He affirmed Vietnam’s belief that under the clear-sighted and drastic leadership of the Lao Party and State and with the resolve of relevant agencies and people, Laos will manage to contain the coronavirus outbreak, recover the economy and society, and continue developing sustainably.

Congratulating Vietnam on the significant achievements in the COVID-19 fight, Lao Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune appreciated the precious assistance from the Vietnamese Party, State, and people to the Lao counterparts.

He described the aid as a meaningful and timely contribution to Laos’ efforts to combat the pandemic and also a source of support for the health workers and patients in the country.

The Deputy PM, who is also head of Laos’ central committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, also stressed that Vietnam is the first country to provide financial, personnel, and material support for his country in the latest outbreak, which strongly reflects the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam.

Also on May 4, the Van Lang education group of Vietnam delivered 100 ventilators to Laos, part of a programme to provide medical supplies for Laos and Cambodia in the COVID-19 combat.

Another 800 ventilators will be sent to Cambodia in the time ahead, according to the Ministry of Health.

The ventilator production was funded by the Van Lang and Van Thinh Phat groups./.VNA