AstraZeneca pledges to deliver more vaccines to Vietnam
Hanoi (VNA) - CEO
of AstraZeneca Pascal Soriot has pledged to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to
Vietnam on schedule as well as increase vaccine supplies to the country this
month.
During a phone talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on
August 19, Soriot said AstraZeneca will also do its best to meet Vietnam’s requests.
PM Chinh, for his part, spoke highly of AstraZeneca’s role and contributions
to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in the world and in Vietnam. He affirmed
that AstraZeneca vaccines contribute importantly to driving back the
pandemic across the world, including in Vietnam.
He suggested that the CEO instruct the acceleration of vaccine delivery to Vietnam along with the completion of a contract to provide the country with more vaccines
in September and later this year.
The PM proposed AstraZeneca discuss with other countries the possibility of borrowing or repurchasing the vaccines that those countries do not need at present, while stepping up the implementation of contracts on vaccines for children and those aged below 18, and those at high risk and
having underlying diseases.
The Vietnamese Government always encourages and create favourable conditions for foreign firms to operate and expand operations in Vietnam in pharmaceuticals
and health care, he said, stressing that Vietnam wants to foster strategic,
comprehensive and long-term partnership with AstraZeneca not only in vaccines.
It was the second time in a short period that PM Chinh has directly talked with a
senior representative of AstraZeneca to accelerate the delivery of vaccines to
Vietnam, showing the Vietnamese Government’s high determination and drastic actions
to carry out its vaccine diplomacy policy and the Party and State’s consistent policy
of placing the people’s health and safety above others./.