Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen (L) and Deputy Ambassador Mark Tattersall recognise Australia’s donation of 7,223,200 COVID-19 vaccine doses for Vietnam’s paediatric vaccine rollout.(Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Australia to Vietnam) Hanoi (VNA) – A ceremony to hand over more than 7.2million doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for paediatric use presented byAustralia was held in Hanoi on May 10.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Health Do XuanTuyen and Australian Deputy Head of Mission in Vietnam Mark Tattersall.
The Australian government committed more than 14 million vaccinedoses, along with medical supplies for the vaccine rollout in Vietnam.
Addressing the event, Tuyen thanked the Australiangovernment and people for their support for Vietnam in public health care,especially the fight against COVID-19.
He pledged that the vaccine will be promptly distributed tolocalities, adding that the inoculation campaign for children aged 5-12 is taken as one of the important tasks of the health sector this year.
Deputy Ambassador Mark Tattersall and Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen inspect the COVID-19 vaccine doses. (Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Australia to Vietnam) For his part, Tattersall said Australia has already providedVietnam with 7.8 million doses of vaccine for its adult population to boost itseconomic and social recovery from COVID-19.
“These paediatric COVID-19 vaccine doses will help bolsterVietnam’s efforts to contain COVID-19, by extending the vaccine rollout toprotect younger people in Vietnam, assisting with the return to the new normal,” he said.
As of May 9, Vietnam had administered over 1.85 million vaccinedoses for children, and strives to complete the work by June, Tuyen said.
The official expressed his hopethat the Australian side will soon make official announcement about theremaining batches of 7.2 million doses of Pfizer vaccine for Vietnam throughUNICEF./.
