State President visits pandemic-stricken HCM City

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc presents Hoc Mon and Cu Chi districts each with 5 billion VND (217,700 USD) and five ventilators raised by donors.(Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on July 29 urged Ho Chi Minh City – the country’s biggest COVID-19 hotspot at present - to promote the motto of “fighting the pandemic is like fighting the enemy.”

During his field trip to the southern metropolis, Phuc visited Hoc Mon and Cu Chi districts, and presented each with 5 billion VND (217,700 USD) and five ventilators raised by donors.

The leader asked HCM City to set up more COVID-19 task forces and take suitable measures to accelerate vaccinations.

Local competent agencies need to step up inspections over the implementation of social distancing rules and work to ensure enough ventilators for severe cases, the President said.

Any violations of COVID-19 prevention and control regulations must be strictly handled, he said, supporting the city’s proposal to extend the social distancing period.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc visits Hoc Mon district. (Photo: VNA)

Later on the day, the State leader visited Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC – producer of Nanocovax COVID-19 vaccine that has entered clinical trials.  

A representative from the company said the trials show positive results, with 14,000 people vaccinated.

Each Nanocovax dose costs about 120,000 VND, and many countries have contacted the company to ask for technological transfer, according to the representative.

President Phuc said apart from serving domestic demand, Nanogen should look towards vaccine export.

Also on July 29, he visited the medical staff of a temporary hospital for treating COVID-19 patients which was put into operation a day earlier in District 7./.

VNA