Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in the teleconference with COVAX Managing Director Aurélia Nguyen on September 20. (Photo: VNA) PM Chinh highly valuedthe role of COVAX in seeking supplies, coordinating and fairly distributingCOVID-19 vaccines around the world, which has significantly contributed tocommon efforts to control the pandemic.
He stressed thatCOVID-19 is a global issue which requires a global approach and stronger andmore effective international cooperation to prevent, roll back, and control thepandemic.
In the short term, itis necessary to support the equal access to COVID-19 vaccines and drugs viamultilateral and bilateral mechanisms, he noted.
The Government leaderaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of putting people’s health and safety first and above all, and that the country is striving to achieve vaccine coverage of theentire population as fast and soon as possible.
Since July 2021,Vietnam has carried out the largest vaccination campaign in history andeffectively used the acquired vaccines on the basis of the guidelines issued bythe World Health Organisation (WHO) and the COVAX Facility, he added.
PM Chinh said Vietnamis facing vaccine-related difficulties, so to ensure sufficient vaccines forpeople, he asked COVAX to prioritise allocating vaccines to Vietnam as fast andmuch as possible, especially in September, October, and November, and to fulfillthe vaccine provision agreement with Vietnam in 2021.
The country has conductedand will continue the fast and most effective administration of the vaccinedoses it has received, he affirmed, adding that it is ready to provide all necessaryinformation so that COVAX can consider distributing vaccines to Vietnam early.
At the meeting, he askedCOVAX to coordinate and supply the Moderna vaccine for Vietnam in order to inoculatepeople with the second doses, while helping connect and share information about countries that are likely to have spare vaccines or those that have been givenbut do not use vaccines immediately so that Vietnam can borrow or purchase.
The PM also called onthe Facility to assist Vietnam to enhance cooperation with international partnersin vaccine and drug production and to access sources of vaccines for peopleunder the age of 18.
He noted that in thespirit of international solidarity, the country has contributed 500,000 USD toCOVAX, and it is considering more donations to the Facility. It has alsoactively engaged in global efforts against the pandemic.
For her part, Aurélia Nguyen highly valued Vietnam’s achievements in theCOVID-19 fight, noting that the country has carried out vaccination in asmart, scientific, transparent, timely, and effective manner.
COVAX views Vietnam asone of the typical examples of effectively implementing the immunisation campaignand the pandemic prevention and control
The Facility willexert every effort to realise its commitments to Vietnam, she said, adding itwill continue allocating 85 million vaccine doses to countries around theworld, including Vietnam, this October and that it will keep the distributionto Vietnam in the time ahead.
The Managing Director alsoapplauded the country’s long-term vision in researching, developing and workingtowards self-sufficiency of vaccine.
She voiced her beliefthat with efforts, strong determination, and right directions in the COVID-19fight, the Government and people of Vietnam will soon surmount the currenttrying time.
Her colleagues and sheare ready to assist and discuss with Vietnam about the vaccine issue at anytime during the bilateral cooperation process, Nguyen added./.
VNA
