Doctors at National Hospital for Tropical Diseases are treating a COVID-19 patient. (Photo: VNA) This is a historic, significant achievement, he toldthe Vietnam News Agency (VNA), adding that the UN would continue to holddiscussions with the Vietnamese government on turning the country into animportant and potential destination for patients under the UN EmergencyChartered Medical Evacuation Services (MEDEVAC) in the future.
Earlier, Vietnam, at the request of the UN, had receivedand successfully treated a UN staff member who contracted the coronavirus whileworking in a regional country and was in critical condition.
The patient was brought to Vietnam by a plane run bythe MEDEVAC, according to an announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Vietnam was once seen as a country that needs tosend its severe patients to other countries via the MEDEVAC mechanism such asSingapore and Thailand, the official said.
However, this is the first time the country hasadmitted a patient through the mechanism, especially in the context of thepandemic spread, he continued.
According to Malhotra, one of the reasons that theUN asked Vietnam to treat the UN staff member was the country’s good performancein COVID-19 prevention and control, with a low rate of infections, as well asits good medical services.
UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra (Photo: VNA) Regarding cooperation between the UN and theVietnamese government and competent agencies in the pandemic combat, Malhotrasaid both sides have acknowledged the important role of the other, with theVietnamese government playing crucial leadership.
Helping Vietnam build and roll out its vaccinationprogramme is a top priority of the UN in 2021, he affirmed, adding that the UNand relevant agencies will continue their assistance to Vietnam in vaccinesupply, and vaccine quality and safety control.
He also suggested the country should do better inexpanding vaccination coverage, and informed that the UN will make effort toprovide the country with vaccines enough to inoculate 20 percent of itspopulation by year-end./.
VNA
