VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES AUGUST 6
15:10
Further 592,100 AstraZeneca vaccine doses arrive in
Vietnam
A batch of 592,100 AstraZeneca
COVID-19 vaccines secured via commercial contract by Vietnam Vaccine JSC
(VNVC) arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on
August 6. At present,
a total of 4,387,100 million doses of the contracted amount have arrived in
the nation. So far,
Vietnam has received 18.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including 11.5
million AstraZeneca doses, over five million Moderna doses, 1.5 million
Sinopharm doses, more than 400,000 Pfizer doses, and 12,000 Sputnik V doses. By 06.00am
on August 6, approximately eight million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been
administered, with over 820,000 people receiving two jabs. Covid-19 curve in HCM City flattening The latest
Covid-19 outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City has started to ease with falling
numbers of infections. According to
the Ministry of Health, on August 4, Vietnam reported 7,623 new cases of
which 3,300 cases were in HCM City. The number of new cases in HCM City has
dropped compared to the daily 4,000-4,500 infections a few days ago. It was
only half of the infection rate during the peak in late July. During a
press meeting on July 30, the vice chairman of HCM City People's Committee
Duong Anh Duc said the most important thing is to strictly follow preventive
regulations. "We can
see that the curve is flattening as predicted. With co-operation from both
state agencies and the public, we can control the outbreak soon," Duc
said. "One of the key policies is to protect the Covid-19 free areas and
quarantine small clusters." HCM City
authorities are speeding up the vaccination programme. Duc has asked Deputy
Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on August 4 to allocate more vaccines to HCM City.
The city aims to vaccinate all seven million adults. As of now, two million
people have been vaccinated. The city wants to receive 5.5 million doses of
vaccine in August to achieve the goal and needs an average of 210,000 doses
of vaccines daily. The fifth
vaccination wave concluded on August 3 with over 930,000 doses administered
in 10 days. The city has opened vaccination spots at hospitals, medical
stations and mobile vaccination teams. Khanh Hoa imposes social distancing amid rising Covid-19 cases Social
distancing measures have been imposed for the whole southern central province
of Khanh Hoa as the province is witnessing more Covid-19 patients. Under the
decision issued by Nguyen Tan Tuan, chairman of the provincial people’s
committee, the social distancing measures will last for 14 days, starting
from Thursday midnight. Earlier, the
province applied social distancing regulations in some Covid-19-ravaged
areas. However, the pandemic has been spreading in the province. On Thursday
alone, Khanh Hoa recorded 51 new Covid-19 cases, raising the province’s total
Covid-19 patient number to 3,000 so far. According to
Government Directive 16, people must stay at home and only go out in case of
necessity such as buying food and medicine, and in other emergencies. Stores
providing essential services and goods are still allowed to open. Any
gathering of more than two people in public places and outside offices,
schools and hospitals are prohibited. State
agencies permit their staff to work online at home and hold online meetings. Over 4,000 new Covid-19 infections announced in Friday morning
report An
additional 4,009 Covid-19 infections were confirmed in the past 12 hours in
Vietnam, raising the total number of patients in the country to 189,066, the
Ministry of Health reported at 6am on Friday morning. According to
the ministry's report, all of the newly-confirmed patients are
locally-transmitted cases most of whom were detected in quarantine sites or
areas under lockdown in some localities including 2,563 in Ho Chi Minh City,
322 in Binh Duong, 286 in Long An, 253 in Tien Giang, 207 in Dong Nai, 77 in
Danang, 63 in Vinh Long, 53 in Dong Thap, 47 in An Giang, 34 in Tra Vinh, 27
in Phu Yen, 19 in Binh Dinh, 17 in Kien Giang, 14 in Gia Lai, five in Ha
Tinh, four in Dak Nong, four in Thanh Hoa, four in Lam Dong, two each in Bac
Lieu, Lao Cai, Quang Tri, Lang Son, and one each in Hai Duong, and Hanoi.
Among these new infections, 823 cases were found in the communities. Ho Chi Minh
City continued to report the highest number of new infections in the country.
On Thursday, the city also recorded 3,886 new patients, the majority of which
are individuals who came into contact with confirmed Covid-19 patients or who
were detected in either isolation and locked down areas. Social distancing
rules are being further tightened in the city to contain the virus spread. As of Friday
morning, 185,162 locally-transmitted cases have been reported since the new outbreak
occurred in the country on April 27, including 112,479 in the virus hotspot
of Ho Chi Minh City. The outbreak has so far spread to 62 cities and
provinces nationwide. With these
new infection cases, the number of Covid-19 patients in Vietnam has increased
to 189,066 including 186,732 locally-transmitted cases. On August 5,
a total of 3,708 more patients were released from hospital following their
full recovery, raising the number of recoveries in the country to 58,040. Also on
Thursday evening, a further 393 deaths related to Covid-19 were announced,
bringing the total number of fatalities in Vietnam to 2,720. The country
has conducted over 8.06 million Covid-19 vaccine shots, with 820,023 people
having received two doses. Party leader requests better results in corruption fight General
Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong on August
5 chaired the 20th meeting of the Central Steering Committee for Corruption
Prevention and Control. The meeting,
the first since the CPV convened its 13th National Congress earlier this
year, aimed at reviewing the fight against corruption in the first half of
2021, defining key tasks for the second half and making decisions on several
important issues. During the
January-June period, Party Committees and Inspection Commissions at all
levels imposed disciplinary measures against over 70 Party organisations and
more than 8,000 Party members. The Party Central Committee’s Inspection
Commission proposed the imposition of disciplinary measures against one Party
organisation and seven officials managed by the Party Central Committee, and
many officials and leaders of state-owned enterprises who committed
violations. The
inspection and audit sectors discovered economic violations with a total sum
of over 54.47 trillion VND (2.37 billion USD) and 1,760 hectares of land,
while proposing financial settlements totalling 23.5 trillion VND, and
suggesting the withdrawal of over 7 trillion VND and 644 hectares of land. Attention
was paid to investigation, prosecution and trial of economic corruption cases
involving many high-ranking officials. Relevant
agencies seized, distrained assets, blocked accounts, and prevented asset
transactions in economic corruption cases with a total amount of 14.41
trillion VND. Civil judgment enforcement agencies also recovered nearly 2
trillion VND. Regarding
the key tasks for the last six months of 2021, the steering committee
requested Party Committees, Party organisations and authorised agencies to
focus on COVID-19 prevention and control, protection of public health, and
fulfilment of the tasks set in the 2021 Work Programme. It will
speed up the progress of verification, investigation, prosecution and
judgment of cases under its supervision; and strives to finish the
investigation of two cases, issue indictments to prosecute six cases, conduct
first-instance trials of nine cases and appeal trials of seven cases, and
finish verification and settlement of five cases as planned by the end of
2021. Party
General Secretary Trong, who is also head of the steering committee,
requested it to direct relevant agencies to make greater efforts, bring into
full play the strength of the entire people and the entire political system. The steering
committee should do better, achieve higher quality, and pay more attention to
self-inspection and self-settlement, he said./. PM demands better enforcement of COVID-19 response measures Prime
Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed on Thursday an official telegram demanding
better enforcement of COVID-19 prevention and control measures amid complex
evolution of the pandemic. Accordingly,
localities which are now undergoing social distancing order in accordance
with the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 16 are requested to ensure stricter
implementation of the order, promptly test residents in lockdown and
high-risk areas and people with high risks of transmission of the virus. Local
authorities have to take people infected with COVID-19 to treatment
facilities or help them to treat Coronavirus depending on their health
conditions and the real conditions of each localities. The
Government chief ordered subordinate levels to minimize deaths by ensuring
sufficient oxygen supply, ventilators, emergency beds and other necessities
at the earliest. Viet Nam
reports 3,301 new COVID-19 cases and 3,708 recoveries PM Pham
called for enhanced participation of the whole political system, especially
grassroots political units, support and cooperation of people, and
mobilization of resources for COVID-19 prevention and control. Localities
placed under social distancing shall have to especially pay attention to
ensuring smooth circulation and supply of goods and other necessities to
residents and meet people’s demand for health care at anywhere and any time. Pham also
requested localities to timely and fully implement policies adopted by the
Government to support businesses and citizens affected by the pandemic. The
Ministry of Health was assigned to coordinate with relevant ministries and
agencies to expeditiously mull over and put forward policies and mechanisms
on tax reduction and exemption and other support measures for the
pandemic-hit businesses and citizens. Earlier the
same day, PM Pham clarified responsibilities of Deputy Prime
Ministers, Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies and Government-attached
bodies, and Chairpersons of provincial and municipal People's Committees for
COVID-19 fight./. Disciplinary measures proposed against two former HCMC vice
chairmen The Party
Central Committee's (PCC) Inspection Commission has proposed the PCC’s
Secretariat discipline former HCMC Vice Chairmen Nguyen Thanh Tai and Tran
Vinh Tuyen. At its fifth
meeting from August 2 to 4, the Inspection Commission reviewed proposals on
disciplinary measures against Party organizations and members involved in
four cases in HCMC, the local media reported. Accordingly,
the Party unit of the municipal Party Committee’s office in the 2015-2020
tenure, the Party committee of the Tan Thuan Industrial Promotion Co., Ltd
(IPC) in the 2015-2020 tenure, the Party committees of the South Saigon
Development Corporation (SADECO) and Tan Thuan Construction and Investment
JSC in the 2015-2017 and 2017-2020 terms flouted working regulations and
showed a lack of responsibility, slack leadership and poor supervision,
leading to some Party organizations and members violating the Party's rules
and the State law on land and asset management and anti-corruption. Nguyen Thanh
Tai, while serving as vice chairman of the HCMC government, illegally
approved the transfer of a project investment right without allowing
enterprises to bid for tenders, and signed documents approving the values of
land lots and assets on the land lots as well as land rentals and the handing
over of the lots. Meanwhile,
Tran Vinh Tuyen was found to have signed a decision approving the transfer of
a residential project in Phuoc Long B Ward of Thu Duc City to a private firm,
causing losses of VND672 billion. The
Inspection Commission also proposed disciplining Tran Trong Tuan, former
director of the municipal Department of Construction, as he signed a document
proposing Tuyen approve the project transfer. Nguyen Hoai
Nam, former secretary of the District 2 Party Committee and former deputy
director of the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Le
Tan Hung, former general director of Saigon Agriculture Incorporated (Sagri);
and Te Tri Dung, former IPC general director and SADECO chairman, were
expelled from the Party. Nam was
responsible for directly signing a document suggesting Tai sign decisions on
illegal land transfers and leasing. Meanwhile,
Hung, was responsible for Sagri’s violations. He also directed the completion
of procedures, signed a document proposing the municipal government allow the
transfer of projects illegally and signed contracts to embezzle VND13.3
billion. In addition,
Dung would bear the most responsibility for the violations of IPC and SADECO
and SADECO’s illegal issuance of shares. He also used SADECO’s money to
travel abroad, approved many illegal expenditures and embezzled more than
VND1.7 billion. These
individuals’ violations have caused serious consequences, causing huge losses
and wastefulness of the State capital and assets, sparking public concern and
damaging the prestige of the Party and the HCMC authorities. The
Inspection Commission asked the HCMC Party Committee’s Standing Board to
inspect and promptly discipline Party organizations and members involved in
these cases. On July 28,
the Supreme People’s Procuracy indicted Tuyen, Tuan, Hung and 14 other
defendants, who were former executives of the government, departments and
agencies in HCMC, for allegedly violating regulations on the management and
use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness, and embezzlement. In September
last year, the HCMC People’s Court handed down a jail term of eight years to
Tai as he was involved in the transfer of a 5,000-square-meter land lot at
8-12 Le Duan in District 1, causing losses of VND252 billion. Ministry asks for acceleration of quick COVID-19 testing for
drivers The Ministry
of Transport has directed its Department of Health to speed up rapid testing
for drivers in localities across the country using 100,000 COVID-19 quick
test kits allocated by the Government, according to Deputy Minister of
Transport Le Dinh Tho. The
Department of Health of the ministry will support localities in the work, he
said, noting that this is hoped to directly support transport enterprises. According to
Tho, the quick testing is effectively implement in southern localities,
especially in Ho Chi Minh City and those imposing social distancing measures
under the Prime Minister's Directive 16. Statistics
show that over 2,700 COVID-19 quick test kits were used for drivers
nationwide after more than a week of implementation. So far, as
many as 24,000 COVID-19 quick test kits have been handed over to localities,
including 3,000 of those delivered to HCM City – the current biggest COVID-19
hotspot. As of August
4, a total of 1,700 quick test kits were used for drivers in HCM City, with
four people tested positive for coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Deputy
Minister Tho said to contain the spread of the pandemic, the ministry has
directed its units and the Departments of Transport of localities to request
vehicle owners and drivers to strictly and fully comply with regulations on
COVID-19 prevention and control under the guidance of the Ministry of
Health./. Food processing workers should be given priority for Covid-19
vaccination: Ministry A working
team of the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development has proposed the
prime minister ask local authorities to prioritize vaccinating all workers of
food processing plants to maintain production and exports. As for the
fisheries sector, the working team in a report sent to the prime minister
said that the latest resurgence of the coronavirus has taken a heavy toll on
fisheries companies, especially those in the south. Fisheries
production and exports since the second half of July fell sharply, by 20%
compared to the first half of this year. The capacity of fisheries processing
plants in the south is also forecast to decline by 60-70%, the team said. After
visiting some fisheries processing facilities, the team noticed that these
businesses have made huge efforts to maintain their operations and well
adopted the stay-at-work mode. However, many fisheries processing plants that
failed to meet anti-virus requirements due to relatively high costs had to
halt their operations. Meanwhile,
most of the workers of these businesses have yet to be vaccinated against
Covid-19. Once an employee is infected with Covid-19, the plant has to shut
down and can encounter huge financial losses. The team
also predicted that the supply of agricultural products and food for export
in the second half of the year will drop sharply. The export of vegetables in
the second half may fall 30% due to the lack of agricultural materials. In addition,
many agricultural products could face difficult consumption and falling
prices such as dragon fruits, bananas, pineapples, lemons, tra fish and shrimp,
prompting a certain number of farmers, cooperatives and enterprises to
hesitate to reinvest in further production. To promote
the growth of the cultivation, husbandry, fisheries sectors and avoid the
disruption of the value chain, it is essential to roll out a program to
comprehensively support the sectors in terms of plant seeds, livestock and
aquatic breeds. Accordingly,
the team proposed the Government leader direct 19 provinces and cities in the
south to administer the Covid-19 vaccine to all workers of food processing
plants, slaughterhouses that are implementing the stay-at-work mode and
manufacturing businesses in connection with factories. They are the labor
force that directly ensures the supply of food and foodstuff in the long run,
the team added. The
Government was also asked to offer electricity price support to food
producing and processing businesses, so that they can ramp up the purchase of
agro products and keep products in cold storage. The team
also requested the Government to launch a national program to purchase and
stock up on rice to stimulate rice production and encourage local farmers to
continue rice production, aimed at ensuring national food security and stable
rice export. Ho Chi Minh City supports frontline forces, people affected by
COVID-19 The People’s
Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee of Ho Chi Minh City
have carried out practical activities to provide timely support for needy
people affected by COVID-19 as well as frontline forces in the fight against
the pandemic. The city's
VFF Committee on August 4 announced the presentation of more than 250,000
gift packages, each worth 500,000 VND including necessities such as rice,
cooking oil, fish sauce, to needy families in need, households in difficult
circumstances. The funding for the implementation of the programme comes from
the city's allocations to localities and other sources such as donations of
businesses, organisations and individuals. The VFF
committees of Thu Duc city and districts are asked to review and make a list
of poor families and households in difficult circumstances in need of urgent
support so as to send the lists to the city VFF Committee before August 6. Earlier, the
city's VFF committee delivered 5,400 gift packages to households via the VFF
chapters in Thu Duc city and districts in the city. Besides, the
municipal People's Committee has directed the urgent implementation of a
support policy for frontline forces in the COVID-19 fight. Accordingly,
for frontline medical workers, those perform direct work will receive 10
million VND per person while those who perform indirect work will receive 4.5
million VND per person. Each person
in the community COVID-19 prevention and control team is provided with 2
million VND. Volunteers mobilised by the municipal Department of Health
including medical staff, lecturers, private healthcare workers, retired
medical staff, religious volunteers, and volunteer drivers will get 3 million
VND per person, while each medical student will receive 1.5 million VND. Each medical
worker and lecturer sent by the Ministry of Health and provinces to HCM City
will be assisted 3 million VND, and students will get 1.5 million
VND./. Over 11,000 students to take 2nd round of national high school
graduation exam More than
11,000 students have registered for the second round of the national high
school graduation examination, which is scheduled for August 6-7, said Deputy
Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Huu Do. Of these,
over 3,100 students are from Bac Giang, one of the localities hardest hit by
the COVID-19 recently, and the rest from 38 provinces and cities, including
Cao Bang, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, An Giang, Tien
Giang, Vinh Long, Lam Dong, Dak Lak and Dong Nai. The second
phase is intended for students who had their tests in the first unfinished
due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreaks. According to
Do, the Ministry of Education and Training has asked for careful preparations
and plans for the holding of safe exams amid the pandemic and the most
favourable conditions for candidates. Exam
questions and durations will be similar to those in the first phase to ensure
objectivity and fairness for contestants. The exam
councils are requested to review their list of students attending the second
phase to avoid any mistakes that cause disadvantages for them. Candidates
with difficult circumstances or having problems in traveling and
accommodations should receive timely support so that they can take the exam,
he said. The deputy
minister also directed the localities to screen students and taking measures
suitable to the reality of each locality to ensure the health of both exam
supervisors and candidates. The exam is
considered the most important exam for a student after 12 years of study as
it not only awards a high-school graduation certificate but also decides on
admission to universities and colleges./. Zalo’s new tool helps COVID-19 affected people Social network
Zalo on August 3 launched tool Zalo Connect which aims to support its users
that are facing difficulties amid complicated developments of the COVID-19
pandemic. Accordingly,
Zalo users in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, and Long An can easily
seek emergency support from the community for foods, medicines, and other
essential goods, or quickly connect with doctors and medical experts for
remote medical advice. Through the
application, individuals and charitable organisations will quickly detect and
support those facing difficulties surrounding their residential areas, but
still strictly follow COVID-19 prevention and social distancing regulations. Users should
activate the feature to allow strangers to communicate on Zalo to ensure that
the relief force can connect with them quickly. Zalo Connect
was completed in five days with the coordination of the national technology
centre for COVID-19 prevention and control. Users in the
four above-mentioned localities can easily access this feature right at the
top of Zalo's browser and select "I need help" or "I want to
help", depending on their need. Zalo is
expected to have more tools that allow donors to update the list of those who
have received support, thus properly distributing donations from the community./. HCM City to give extra financial aid to pandemic-hit residents Ho Chi Minh
City will give extra financial aid to poor people who are being severely
affected by extended social distancing order imposed to stamp out the
COVID-19 pandemic, Vo Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s
Committee, said at a conference on August 5. The
conference was held by the city’s Fatherland Front Committee to discuss the
second social security package designated to help local residents hardest hit
by the pandemic. The new
package targets poor workers and those who did not benefit from the first
package, Hoan said, adding that each person will receive 1.5 million VND
(65.26 USD) in cash and the package must be fully delivered to needy people
before August 10. This time,
the eligibles will include people with labour contracts suspended because of
COVID-19, part-time workers, directors, actors, painters and others working
in the entertainment industry, he noted. The second
package is expected to benefit around 250,000 people. The first package,
which was worth 426 billion VND and fully disbursed, has provided aid to
freelancers, people living in locked down areas, frontline workers and
families of COVID-19 patients. HCM City
also plans to establish a centre for receiving donations of necessities to
affected people./. 300 workers sent to Binh Duong to support Covid-19 vaccination Around 300
medical workers from 60 vaccination teams have been sent to the southern province
of Binh Duong to help the province’s Covid-19 inoculation campaign. The staff,
who are from Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company (VNVC), have supported HCM
City’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign. They are from HCM City and some other
localities. Binh Duong
now stands second among localities hardest hit by Covid-19 in Vietnam with
more than 21,000 Covid-19 cases, including 136 deaths. The province has
planned to provide Covid-19 vaccination for roughly 300,000 workers and
people between August 5-8. The VNVC
teams will participate in vaccinating 50,000 people, including workers at
industrial parks. The VNVC
teams will receive vaccines from Binh Duong Centre for Disease Control for
the preservation at its cold stores located in the province. The vaccines are
brought to vaccination spots every day. Bui Kim
Khanh, Director of VNVC, said that VNVC has 60 centres nationwide, including
25 in the southern region. It is a favourable condition to mobilise its
resources to assist Binh Duong. This will be the second biggest Covid-19
vaccination campaign it has participated in after HCM City. Over 200 coaches to provide ambulance services for Covid-19
patients Up to 226
coaches in HCM City have been turned into ambulances to transport Covid-19
patients. HCM City has
continued facing rising number of Covid-19 patients with many of them put
under home quarantine. In necessary cases, they can contact local health
facility hotlines for help. Under the
instruction of municipal authorities, the HCM City Department of Health and
the 115 Medical Emergency Centre have to mobilise all ambulances from public
medical facilities for carrying patients with worsening condition to
hospitals. The 115
Medical Emergency Centre is responsible for the ambulance distribution and
reporting the situation to the committee. Amid the
sharp rise in Covid-19 patients in the city, a transportation firm in the
city has used 226 coaches of 16 seats each as ambulances for carrying
Covid-19 cases. The vehicles
are installed with necessary medical equipment for emergencies, including
oxygen tanks and pulse oximeters. Shields are also used to separate their
driver and passengers to help reduce the risks of Covid-19 infection. To date, 160
vehicles have been handed over to localities, while the remainder is expected
to be put into use in two days to come. At the end
of July, around 300 cars of a taxi company in the city were also licensed as
prioritised vehicles for patient transportation. Viet Duc Hospital sends 300 health workers to Ho Chi Minh City More than
300 medical staff and eight tonnes of equipment of Viet Duc Hospital in Hanoi
are expected to arrive in Ho Chi Minh City on August 5 to help in the
treatment of severe COVID-19 patients. They will
work at an ICU centre at Field Hospital No. 13, which is being installed
under the direction of Associate Professor Dong Van He - Deputy Director of
Viet Duc Hospital. He said they
are highly skilled ICU, anaesthetic and surgery doctors and nurses, capable
of setting up and operating ventilators in order to provide patients with the
best care. Many have
decided to have their hair cut short to make it more convenient for taking
care of COVID-19 patients. Associate
Professor He said they are racing against time to quickly finish technical
tasks so that the ICU can be put into use as soon as possible. In addition
to an ICU hospital of Ho Chi Minh City with 1,000 beds, the Ministry of
Health is setting up another 4 ICU centres, which are operated by Bach Mai
Hospital, Viet Duc Hospital, Hue Central Hospital and Ho Chi Minh City
University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. * On August
5, the An Giang Fatherland Front received a VND3.3 billion (US$143,600)
donation to the provincial COVID-19 prevention fund from TBS An Giang and
Viettel An Giang. TBS also
donated VND300 million and 1,600 rapid test kits to Thoai Son District to
help it cope with a recent surge in coronavirus cases. On the same
day, a lorry carrying fruit, vegetables and eggs departed An Giang Province
for Ho Chi Minh City to distribute such goods to An Giang residents currently
living in Ho Chi Minh City who are facing difficulties due to social
distancing measures. * The
central province of Quang Ngai is planning to set up two field hospitals to
prepare for a rise in the number of COVID-19 patients as many of its native
residents are arriving home from southern provinces and cities. Such field
hospitals will initially have 300-500 beds and can be upgraded to 1,000 beds
if necessary. Dong Nai allows resumption of 145 taxis to transport patients to
hospitals Dong Nai
Province has allowed 145 taxis to resume operations to transport patients to
hospitals during the shelter-in-place period, while permitting shippers to
return to work from 6.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. each day. The 145
taxis, which belong to the Mai Linh, Saigon, Lado and Long Thanh taxi
operators, will also be used for essential cases, mainly medical purposes, including
transporting people from/to quarantine centers, the Dong Nai Department of
Transport said on August 5. The
provincial department granted QR identification codes to the taxis to make it
easier for anti-virus forces to check and control the operation of these
vehicles. During their
operations, these taxis must comply with Covid-19 safety protocols and make
hand sanitizers and face masks available, while the drivers must have a
negative Covid-19 test certificate and make online heath declarations before
work. Earlier, the
Dong Nai Department of Industry and Trade allowed delivery workers, or
shippers, to return to work in the daytime, the local media reported. These
shippers were told to have identifying characteristics such as a uniform,
boxes, a business logo or a travel permit. Each delivery man is allowed to
work at only one commune, ward or district. The
provincial government on July 31 decided to continue adopting the social
distancing order under the prime minister’s Directive 16 for 15 more days from
August 2 until 15 and imposed night movement restrictions. Hospitals in HCMC told not to let Covid-19 patients die at home The HCMC
Department of Health has written to the 115 Emergency Center, hospitals and
Covid-19 treatment facilities asking them not to let patients die at home as
a result of being denied admission or delays in being transported to
hospitals for treatment. Besides, the
municipal department ordered these units to readily admit and treat Covid-19
patients, the local media reported. The
hospitals, Covid-19 treatment centers and the 115 Emergency Center must be
open round the clock so that residents can access treatment or medical
checkups. In addition,
doctors were told to prepare for screening to determine which patients need a
referral for treatment. Moreover,
the municipal department asked hospitals and healthcare centers to
proactively add more beds, stretchers and oxygen masks to serve patients to
prevent their condition from worsening due to delayed treatment. The heads of
these units were tasked with informing their employees of the order and
asking them to work toward minimizing the Covid-19 death rate. The heads will
assume responsibility for cases in which patients die at home as a result of
hospitals denying treatment or delaying admission. Top legislator holds online meeting with Hai Phong voters National
Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held an online meeting with 5,000 voters in
the northern port city of Hai Phong on August 5. The NA
Chairman informed the voters about the reforms in the organization and
operation of the legislative body in the 15th tenure, particularly in the
first session. He took time
to talk to voters about an urban development strategy for Hai Phong, which
draws many voters’ interest. The top
legislator noted that the Prime Minister issued a decision on September 2020
approving the task of building a master plan for Hai Phong in 2021-2030 with
a vision to 2050. The city
must quickly implement the task, he said, noting that without a master plan,
there will be many obstacles for socio-economic development. The city
also needs to make plans for the environment in industrial parks and export
processing zones, water supply and waste collection and treatment in urban
and rural areas, he said. Regarding
the building of Bach Long Vy into a fishery logistics centre for the northern
region, Chairman Hue said the Bach Long Vi island district authority should
coordinate with the municipal People’s Committee and the Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development to develop a scheme to this purpose to
submit to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. He pledged
that the delegation of NA deputies of Hai Phong will help promote the idea./. Binh Duong speeds up Covid-19 vaccination Binh Duong
Province is set to complete its Covid-19 vaccination drive, with over 300,000
doses, within 10 days starting today, August 5. The Binh
Duong Department of Health has issued an urgent dispatch to the provincial
government proposing allocating the doses to quickly complete the
vaccination. To ensure
the inoculation process runs on schedule, the department also proposed
mobilizing 177 teams to work at fixed and mobile vaccination sites. Under the
department’s proposal, people prioritized for vaccination include healthcare
workers, frontline workers, anti-virus forces and those who received the
first shot of the vaccine eight to 12 weeks ago. Besides, the
province will also inoculate people aged over 65, those having underlying
health conditions, people living in virus-hit areas, suppliers of food and
essential goods, foreign experts, teachers, students and freelance workers. The province
will administer 80,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, 149,000 Moderna
doses and 23,000 Sinopharm doses in this Covid-19 vaccination drive. Chinese
nationals working in Vietnam and Vietnamese students wishing to study in
China will get the Sinopharm vaccine, the local media reported. As of this
morning, Binh Duong Province had reported 22,053 Covid-19 infections and 136
deaths in the current fourth wave of infections, which began in late April. Citizen protection measures quickly implemented regarding death
of Vietnamese man in Japan Vietnamese
diplomatic missions in Japan will continue to coordinate with Japanese agencies
for the urgent investigation into the death of a Vietnamese man in Osaka
while implementing necessary citizen protection measures to protect the
legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens, Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang informed at a regular press conference of the
ministry held online on August 5. She said
immediately after there was information on social networks about a Vietnamese
young man who died after being assaulted in Osaka city's Namba area, the
Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka contacted the Japanese Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Osaka police, and Vietnamese community in the Kansai region
to learn about the case. On August 3,
local police officially informed the Consulate General in Osaka that the
victim is a Vietnamese national, born in 1999 from the northern port city of
Hai Phong. The Consulate General has contacted and sent condolences to the
victim's family, affirming that it would closely follow the case and assist
the family in necessary procedures. Hang said
according to the latest updates from the Consulate General, Osaka police had
arrested a suspect in the case – a foreigner – at 4:10 pm local time on
August 5. “This is a
heartbreaking incident. We would like to send our deepest condolences to the
victim's family and will coordinate with and request the Japanese side to
soon bring the perpetrator to trial," said the spokesperson./. Saudi Arabia presents aid package to support Vietnam's COVID-19
fight The Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia has given a 500,000-USD medical aid package to Vietnam to
support the country in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The package
was presented to Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong in Hanoi by
Wibar Abdullah I. Albaseer, Chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia
in Vietnam. Speaking at
the ceremony, Cuong said: “Vietnam is impressed with the tough and effective
measures implemented by the Government of Saudi Arabia in preventing and
fighting COVID-19". “In
particular, a vaccination campaign has been carried out quickly and makes
Saudi Arabia one of the countries with the highest percentage of vaccination
coverage in the world,” he said. The Deputy
Minister expressed his appreciation of Saudi Arabia’s aid to Vietnam. “It’s
such a meaningful gesture and a source of motivation to Vietnam during this
difficult time, physically and mentally. The Ministry of Health is committed
to using this precious gift wiselyto fight the pandemic,” Cuong said. Albaseer
said the aid package was part of the Saudi Arabian Government’s 500 million
USD budget used to support international efforts to fight COVID-19. The package
was delivered to Vietnam by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre
in Saudi Arabia, he said./. Top Cuban
legislator congratulates NA Chairman President of
the National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández cabled
a message of congratulations to Vuong Dinh Hue on his election as Chairman of
the 15th National Assembly. In the
message, Hernández said the Cuban people and country are proud of exemplary
friendship and solidarity with the fraternal Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The National
Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba has maintained fraternal ties and close
cooperation with the Vietnamese legislature for the benefit of the two
peoples, he said. He also
wished Hue would successfully fulfil his noble tasks and strengthen ties
between the two legislatures./. Air service on HCMC-Buon Ma Thuot route suspended The Ministry
of Transport has approved Daklak Province’s proposal of suspending flights
between HCMC and the province’s Buon Ma Thuot City starting on August 5, due
to the worsening Covid-19 situation. The ministry
asked the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam to inform local carriers
and the relevant agencies about the flight suspension, reported Lao
Dong newspaper. According to
the province’s proposal, Covid-19 is still raging in many parts of Vietnam,
especially in HCMC and surrounding southern provinces, with domestic
infections on the rise. There is a high possibility that the disease could
break out in neighboring regions including the Central Highlands province of
Daklak. Up to now,
Daklak has reported 225 infections, with most of them linked to HCMC and the
southeastern provinces. To
proactively contain the spread of the disease, the provincial government had
asked the relevant agencies to suspend road passenger transport services
between HCMC and Daklak. However, the air service linking the province with
HCMC remained in operation with one flight operated daily, which affected the
province’s efforts to fight the coronavirus. Therefore,
the provincial government wrote to the Transport Ministry proposing the
suspension of flights on the route. Local photographer named among finalists of Italian photo
contest Vietnamese
photographer Tran Viet Van has made it into the final round of the street
category in the Urban Photo Awards, which are taking place virtually in
Italy. His photo is
titled “Hồn của phố cổ”, “The soul of old town” in English, and captures an
image of a 84-year-old street vendor working in Hoi An ancient city in the
central province of Quang Nam. The 12th
version of the Urban Photo Awards has witnessed the participation of 11,000
photos, 417 sets of photos, and 125 photo books from 3,000 entrants globally. The
competition’s judging panel includes 31 leading experts from many countries,
such as the United States, the UK, France, Italy, and Japan. Viet Van is
the only Vietnamese photographer named among the successful finalists and his
picture is now set to compete in the street category. This comes
after he previously won the third prize at the Urban Photo Awards on two
separate occasions, with a photo named “Những thiên thần nhỏ”, also known as
“The little angels”, in 2018, along with a set of photos with the theme of
“Mẹ tôi”, “My mother”, which was submitted in 2019. The winner
of the 2021 award will be announced in mid-September, with the winning photos
going on to be exhibited at the Trieste Photo Day Festival in Italy before
being put on display in many cities across Europe. In
particular, they will be published by international magazines such as Urban
Unveils volume 6, Prism Magazine, The Post Internazionale, and Street
Photography Magazine. Quang Liem into semifinals of Chessable Masters Le Quang
Liem, the nation’s leading chess player, has made it through to the
semifinals of the Chessable Masters online rapid tournament. During the
quarterfinal stage which was held online on August 4, world No.32 Quang Liem
took on Alireza Firouzja, France’s top player and world No.12. The
Vietnamese player enjoyed a surprise victory over his French rival and
recorded two wins in a row. The result ensured that Quang Liem will progress
straight to the semifinals without completing the remaining two sets thanks
to his comfortable 3-1 victory on the first day. Due to this lead, even if he
lost the remaining two sets he would still earn a ticket in the next round. Moving
forward, Quang Liem will face off against Levon Aronian of Armenia, currently
ranked as the world’s fifth strongest player and winner of the FIDE World Cup
in both 2005 and 2017, in the semifinals. The
Chessable Masters represents the eighth event of the Meltwater Champions
Chess Tour, a 10-month long series of 10 chess tournaments initiated by chess
king Magnus Carlsen of Norway and played online through Chess24.com. Quang Liem
earned at least US$6,500 in bonuses as he has made it through to the
semifinals of the tournament. Vietnam Social Security acts to support workers, businesses amid
COVID-19 The Vietnam
Social Security (VSS) has carried out solutions to provide maximum support to
businesses and workers who are facing difficulties due to the COVID-19
pandemic, following the Government’s Resolution No 68/NQ-CP and the Prime
Minister’s Decision No 23/2021/QD-TTg. Applying
information technology (IT), simplifying procedures and reducing dossier
processing time are among solutions that are being deployed drastically by
the VSS. It said that
IT application will help limit contact and prevent the spread of virus in the
context of complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic and many
localities applying social distancing. As a result, the Government's support
policies targeting employees and employers who are affected by the pandemic
have been implemented in a timely, convenient and simple manner. The VSS has
promoted the provision of online public services to assist people facing
difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic; workers who have to suspend labour
contract, take unpaid leave or stop working, such as paying wage and handling
the reduction of insurance premiums for insurance of occupational accident
and disease. The above
measures of the VSS, together with the efforts of ministries, agencies and
localities, have contributed to repelling the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring
social security./. US reaffirms support for ASEAN’s central role US Secretary
of State Antony J. Blinken reaffirmed the US support for ASEAN’s central role
and the group’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific as part of the vision of the US
for a free and open Indo-Pacific while addressing the ASEAN-US Foreign
Ministers' Meeting on August 4. At the
meeting, Blinken and Foreign Ministers of ASEAN member countries discussed
pressing international and regional challenges, including fighting the
COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, solutions to human resource
development, and the situation in Myanmar. Blinken
emphasised the US’s commitment to supply more than 500 million doses of
vaccines to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) for
distributions to 92 low- and middle-income countries worldwide, as well as
the African Union, through the COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access)
Facility. He noted
that the US has so far donated more than 23 million doses of vaccines and
nearly 160 million USD to support ASEAN member countries to deal with the
COVID-19 pandemic. Blinken
announced that his country intends to contribute 500,000 USD to the ASEAN
COVID-19 Response Fund to support vaccine procurement, and it will also
continue to assist the ASEAN Secretariat in developing an ASEAN Public Health
Emergency Coordination System. He
highlighted the importance of taking bold actions in the 2020s to address
challenges related to the climate change crisis, and promote green recovery,
emphasising the US’s support for the region to minimise economic losses
caused by the pandemic. Blinken also
underlined the need to develop human resources in ASEAN, while reaffirming
his country’s consistent support for the next generation of ASEAN leaders,
the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellowship at
Fulbright University Vietnam, among other programmes./. Obituary: Veteran painter Đỗ Quang Em dies Veteran
painter Đỗ Quang Em, a leading artist of the South’s fine arts, died at home
on Tuesday in HCM City. He was 79. His funeral
took place on Thursday in HCM City. Chairman of
Việt Nam Fine Arts Association Lương Xuân Đoàn told Tuổi Trẻ newspaper:
"Đỗ Quang Em was one of the four cornerstones of the fine arts world
that evolved in pre-1975 Sài Gòn." Đỗ Quang Em
was born in Ninh Thuận Province in 1942. He studied photography from his
father, owner of a small photographic studio when he was a child. He was sent
to study at the Gia Định College of Fine Arts in Sài Gòn (now the HCM City
University of Fine Arts). In 1965, he
became involved in painting after graduating from college. His work earned
recognition from art lovers and critics. In 1973-74,
he worked as a lecturer at Gia Định College of Fine Arts. Đỗ Quang Em
was part of a family of three generations of artists and trained himself to
be a master of light in his paintings. Em’s art
focused on the use of strong contrasts between light and dark. Because of
his love for photography, Em chose to paint realistic items but pushed his
style further into the realm of hyperrealism. The technique, which takes a
lot of time and skill, looks as real as a photograph. “Em was
professional in his use of this technique. The use of light and shadow helped
the painter build up texture and detail,” said art critic Nguyên Hưng. Hyperrealism
was an art movement and style popular in the United States and Europe in the
1970s with Carole Feuerman being the forerunner along with Duane Hanson and
John De. Founded on
the aesthetic principles of photography and photorealism, the artists often
worked to create paintings that resembled photographs. Hyperrealists
took ordinary everyday objects and used them as a means to convey more
subdued emotions in their paintings. They presented these objects as living
and tangible, painted in meticulous detail to the point that they created an
illusion of reality far from the original photo. Hyperrealists
often add subtle, pictorial details to create the illusion of a reality which
doesn't exist often conveying the emotional, social, cultural and even
political messages of the artiste. Đỗ Quang
Em’s works feature a range of topics and objects, from people to animals and
still life. Many of his paintings portray his wife and daughters. He also
loved to draw cups, glasses, oil lamps and origami figures. He organised
several solo and group exhibitions in HCM City, Singapore and Hong Kong. His works
have been displayed and collected by Vietnamnese and foreign galleries and
collectors, including the HCM City Musuem of Fine Arts. Two of his
famous paintings are Tôi và Vợ Tôi (My Wife and I) and Ấm và Tách Trà (A
Teapot and Cups, which were auctioned for US$70,000 and $50,000 in Hong Kong
in 1994-95. His
paintings in the 1990s sold for $60,000-70,000 in the foreign market. German scholar: Party chief’s article clarifies pathway to
socialism in Vietnam German
professor Günter Giesenfeld has commented that Party General Secretary Nguyen
Phu Trong’s article clarifies Vietnam’s pathway to building socialism in both
theoretical and practical aspects. Giesenfeld,
who is also a communication scientist and film director, said in the article,
Trong described socialism as a theory, a movement and a regime. The article
affirmed that socialism and national independence are a basic and consistent
way of the Vietnamese revolution and a key part of President Ho Chi Minh’s
Thought. According to
him, Vietnam chose to go on the pathway to socialism, skipping capitalism
stage in line with the Political Platform since the establishment of the
Communist Party of Vietnam in 1930. He also
mentioned Vietnam’s renewal process that started in 1986, considering it an
important milestone in Vietnam’s post-war history. He added that Trong
stressed that Vietnam is in the period of transition to socialism so that
many jobs need to be done ahead. In a
socialist-oriented market economy, every economic policy serves social
development goal, the article said. The scholar
said Party chief Trong’s arguments gave convincing answers to important
questions and offered valuable information about Vietnam’s current economic
situation, which once again, highlighted the importance of renewal policy
with clear results that Vietnam could be proud of. He expressed
his belief that the article will help Westerners understand such pride via
data mentioned in the article. He added that he wants to translate the
article into German so that more people could know it. He is
considering the publication of the full text or excerpts of the article in
the next issue of Vietnam Kurier magazine, or on the website of the Friendship
Group with Vietnam (FG Vietnam). Giesenfeld,
83, has been Chairman of the FG Vietnam for tens of years. He is now also
editor-in-chief of Vietnam Kurier, a magazine featuring Vietnam with three
issues per year./. ASEAN, New Zealand joins hands to ensure regional peace,
stability The
ASEAN-New Zealand Ministerial Meeting was held via a video conference on
August 5 within the framework of the 54th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting
(AMM-54) and Related Meetings. At the
event, the two sides agreed to carry out the new Plan of Action in the
2021-25, prioritise to support each other in COVID-19 response and
sustainable recovery, as well as foster economic-trade-investment cooperation
and stabilise the regional supply chain. They will
also step up cooperation in anti-terrorism and transnational crimes,
education, environmental protection, climate change adaptation, natural
disaster preparedness, and smart agriculture. They will
work to reduce the development gap and enhance cooperation in subregions,
including the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). The sides
affirmed to further support the open, fair and rules-based multilateral trade
system, and bolster regional linkages through improving the
ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) and promoting the ratification
of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. ASEAN and
New Zealand pledged to continue closely working together in an effort to
maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region, including
the East Sea. New Zealand
backs ASEAN’s principle stance and welcomed the bloc to uphold its role in
promoting dialogues and trust-building, ensuring the full and effective
implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea
(DOC), as well as the building of an effective and efficient Code of Conduct
in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Head of the
Vietnamese delegation Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung emphasised the
significance of the ASEAN-New Zealand strategic partnership for peace,
stability, prosperity and sustainability in the region. Vietnam asks
New Zealand to help ASEAN in COVID-19 response, timely and equal vaccine
access, and economic recovery. Vietnam
hopes that the two sides will soon level up the AANZFTA and complete the
ASEAN-New Zealand Air Services Agreement, while suggesting New Zealand help
ASEAN narrow the development gap and bolster sustainable development in
subregions, including the GMS. On the East
Sea issue, the head of the Vietnamese delegation underlined that ASEAN
countries and New Zealand share interest and responsibility in maintaining
peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the waters. Vietnam
reaffirms ASEAN’s stance on the East Sea, adding that ASEAN and China are
actively building an effective and efficient COC in line with international
law and the UNCLOS. At the end
of the event, Brunei took over the coordinating role for the ASEAN-New
Zealand relations in the 2021-24 period./. Foreign Minister attends ASEAN-Canada Post Ministerial
Conference Foreign
Minister Bui Thanh Son attended the ASEAN-Canada Post Ministerial Conference
via a videoconference on August 5, as part of the 54th ASEAN Foreign
Ministers’ Meeting. Son hailed
Canada’s wish to further deepen ties with ASEAN, making active contributions
to the bloc’s common efforts to maintain peace, stability and development in
the region. He suggested
Canada assist ASEAN in timely and full access to COVID-19 vaccines, promote
specific measures to help regional countries deal with impacts caused by the
pandemic and step up recovery and development efforts. Vietnam
supports the launch of negotiations on building the ASEAN-Canada free trade
area to facilitate trade and investment, he said. He also proposed
accelerating joint work regarding women, peace and security. The minister
stressed that maintaining peace, security, navigation nd aviation freedom in
the East Sea is benefit and responsibility of countries, including ASEAN and
Canada. Affirming
ASEAN’s consistent principled stance on the East Sea, he highlighted the
importance of building trust, self-restraint, non-militarisation, peaceful
settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including the
1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He said
ASEAN is actively working with China to build an effective and efficient Code
of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law and the 1982
UNCLOS. He suggested Canada continue supporting ASEAN’s efforts in the issue. Canadian
Foreign Minister Marc Garneau expressed his wish to upgrade ties with ASEAN,
join ASEAN-led cooperation mechanisms more deeply and soon launch talks on a
free trade agreement between ASEAN and Canada. ASEAN member
states lauded Canada’s donation of 3.5 million CAD (2.8 million USD) to the
ASEAN COVID-19 response fund in the next five years and a medical supplies
package worth 4.5 million CAD to the grouping. Both sides
agreed to prioritise giving mutual support to cope with the pandemic,
mitigate impacts caused by it and promote comprehensive and sustainable
recovery. They pledged
to accelerate economic, trade and investment collaboration and stably
maintain supply chain linkage. This year, they will launch talks on the free
trade area and carry out the action plan for the 2021-2025 period. Canada vowed
to continue with programmes on education-training, high-quality human
resource development, support for businesses, disaster management,
application of innovation technology, cyber security, digital economic and
sustainable development, and climate change response. The two
sides consented to hold celebrations for the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-Canada
partnership next year. On regional
and global issues of shared concern, ASEAN and Canada spotlighted the
importance of maintaining peace, security and stability in the region,
especially in the East Sea in the current context. Canada
supported ASEAN in promoting cooperation, dialogues, building regional trust,
upholding international law, building rules-based regional order, and
addressing disputes by peaceful means in line with international law,
including the 1982 UNCLOS and completing a COC. Canada
welcomed ASEAN for actively promoting reconciliation and dialogue, assisting
Myanmar in seeking measures to stabilise the situation, while emphasising its
support for ASEAN to successfully implement Five-Point Consensus reached by
ASEAN leaders./. People-to-people exchange key to development of Vietnam-Thailand
ties: Thai scholar The
Vietnam-Thailand relations have been upheld and strengthened in all fields by
the countries’ leaders and people despite uncertainties in the region and in
each nation. In an
interview with the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent on the occasion of the
45th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (August 6, 1976 - 2021), Dr
Nakorn Serirak, a lecturer at the College of Local Administration of
Thailand’s Khon Kaen University, underlined that the relationship between
people of the two nations is the most crucial and key to the reality of
international relations. He said the
clearest proof of progress is in the establishment of the Thailand-Vietnam
strategic partnership which benefits bilateral trade and investment for both
sides. In addition,
working on the consultation mechanisms in both countries may facilitate
business negotiations and investment promotion between the countries. Both sides
are to work to increase the value of bilateral trade and reduce trade impediments,
and will promote cooperation in the digital economy, he added. The scholar
pointed out four outstanding factors in the countries’ ties, notably the good
relations between the Thai Royal family and Vietnamese leaders and the
diplomatic relations between political leaders. Meetings and
discussions at diplomatic forums and exchanges of diplomatic officials
between the two countries; as well as cooperation between high-ranking
officials in both governmental and business sectors, are also among the
factors. Serirak
affirmed that all these reflect in the exchanges of diplomatic missions and
official visits by both the members of the Thai Royal family and political
leaders as well as senior officials of ministries or major corporations of
the two countries. The
political movement of the people and students during 1975-76 in protesting
against the US air force in Thailand is the most evident incident that
explained the feeling of Thai people who did not want the US army to bomb and
kill Vietnamese friends. Furthermore,
a joint agreement on the grant of Thai citizenship to Vietnamese who lived in
the country for a long time is to show the way the people of the two
countries have a close-knit friendship and can live together peacefully and
happily. Therefore,
it is important and necessary to promote future activities and cooperation
between people of the two countries, the scholar emphasised. More
activities should be stepped up such as the cooperation between academicians
and researchers at universities, establishment of joint research institutes
in universities, exchanges of experts and personnel in new areas, teaching of
Thai language in Vietnam and vice versa, and socio-cultural exchange
activities, among others. He believed
that facilitation of travel between the countries at the local level should
be bolstered. Starting
from the flight between Chiang Mai and Hanoi, routes linking other cities
should be considered, he said, adding that it helps entrepreneurs in both
countries be more comfortable when travelling, and brings people of two
countries closer through tourism together with technical cooperation at the
local level. As members
of ASEAN, Thailand and Vietnam should cooperate with each other in
strengthening their role to secure and support peace and cooperation among
ASEAN members, Serirak said./. Vietnam, Tanzania to enhance economic, investment cooperation Vietnamese
Ambassador to Tanzania Nguyen Nam Tien and Tanzanian Foreign Minister
Liberata Mulamula vowed to continue promoting economic and investment
cooperation between the two countries at their meeting on August 4 in Dar es
Salaam. Ambassador
Tien, who paid a courtesy visit to the Tanzanian FM, congratulated Tanzania
for its election as Vice President of the 76th General Assembly of the UN in
June this year. He said
Vietnam is willing to share experience with Tanzania in national development,
economic transition, poverty reduction and improvement of living standards. According to
the diplomat, trace-investment is a bright spot in bilateral ties, with
Vietnam being the largest buyer of raw cashew nuts from Tanzania in recent
years. He hailed the pioneering role of the Viettel Tanzania (Halotel) in
universalizing mobile phone and internet networks to remote areas in the
African country, contributing to creating jobs and incomes for local
residents and fulfilling its tax obligation to the Tanzanian Government. Ambassador
Tien proposed that the two countries continue to exchange information via the
channels of the State, party and the legislature body so as to enhance mutual
political trust and support for development. He noted
that there is great potential for bilateral collaboration, when bilateral
trade turnover in 2020 stood at just 300 million USD as against Vietnam’s
total foreign trade of 545 billion USD. He asked the Tanzanian Government to
facilitate the operation of Viettel Tanzania and assist Vietnamese firms in
looking for business opportunities in Tanzania. Minister
Mulamula hailed the role of the Viettel Tanzania company, and called on
Vietnamese firms to invest in cashew nut processing in Tanzania. He voiced
approval of proposals from the Vietnamese Ambassador, and affirmed that the
country will continue to support Vietnam in multilateral mechanisms./. Ministry of Public Security's cooperation with Thai agencies
produces practical results: official The Ministry
of Public Security's ties with Thai agencies like the Royal Thai Police,
National Security Council, and Ministry of Justice have been sustained and
consolidated, bringing about practical outcomes, said Minister To Lam while
receiving the new Thai Ambassador to Vietnam, Nikorndej Blankura in Hanoi on
August 5. Lam singled
out as example the fruitful exchange of information on trans-national crime;
coordination in verifying and arresting wanted criminals and expelling
individuals who take advantage of Thai territory to conduct sabotaging
activities targeting Vietnam; cooperation in investigating and cracking down
on drug trafficking rings from third countries to Thailand through Vietnam
and vice versa; as well as joint work in the field of training and equipment
aid serving drug crime prevention and control. To boost
such engagements in the future, the minister suggested the two sides work
towards the signing of an extradition agreement as a basis for their law enforcement
forces; continue to share experiences in the management of entry-exit
activities, tourism and investment; strengthen coordination in handling cases
related to Vietnamese and Thai citizens; and step up cooperation in the field
of human resources training. For his
part, Nikorndej Blankura pledged to do his utmost to foster Vietnam -
Thailand collaboration across various fields./. Vietnam attends first Friends of Mekong Ministerial Meeting Minister of
Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son attended the first Friends of the Mekong (FOM)
Ministerial Meeting, which was held on August 5 via videoconference. Addressing
the meeting, Minister Son affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to working with other
members to build an environment of peace, stability, prosperity and sustainable
development in the region. FOM
cooperation needs to originate from development demands of Mekong countries,
and helps promote regional cooperation, strengthen the integration of
collaboration mechanisms to mobilise all resources for sustainable development
and addressing challenges effectively, he stated. The
Vietnamese official suggested FOM prioritize cooperation in COVID-19
prevention and control, building high-quality infrastructure, green growth,
and step up policy dialogue on sustainable development in the Mekong
sub-region. The meeting
agreed that FOM should intensify cooperation in addressing common challenges
and promoting sustainable and inclusive growth, including supporting
socio-economic development and promoting green growth during and after the
pandemic, ensuring food, water source and energy security, building
high-quality infrastructure, and backing the implementation of the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SGD) and the Paris Agreement on
climate change. Participants
agreed that FOM has made positive contributions to consolidating friendship
between member countries, assisting Mekong countries in responding to the
pandemic and promoting sustainable development and prosperity of the region. FOM
cooperation should continue to promote the common values and principles in
the UN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia
(TAC), uphold the central role of ASEAN as well as principles of equality,
consensus and mutual benefit, and respect for international law, so as to
help connect FOM cooperation with ASEAN and existing Mekong cooperation
frameworks. The meeting
was chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with the participation
of Foreign Ministers and representatives of Cambodia, the Republic of Korea,
Laos, Myanmar, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand and Vietnam, together
with the ASEAN Secretary-General and representatives from the European Union,
the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Mekong River Commission (MRC). India
and the United Kingdom attended the event as invited guests./. Switzerland's National Day,
diplomatic ties with Vietnam celebrated in Hanoi A ceremony
was held in Hanoi on August 5 evening to celebrate Switzerland's 730th
National Day (1291-2021) and the 50th founding anniversary of
Vietnam-Switzerland diplomatic relations (1971-2021) with the attendance of
Swiss Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis. At the
event, the State Bank of Vietnam's Governor Nguyen Thi Hong, on behalf of the
Vietnamese Government, congratulated the Swiss Government and people on the
occasion. Cassis said
the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs supports the designing and
construction of the 'Geneva Conference Room' within a new building of the
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam to support the facility's training and research
on international relations. With 177
direct investment projects in Vietnam and a total registered capital of about
1.9 billion USD, Switzerland currently ranks 20th among 140 countries and
territories directly investing in the Southeast Asian nation. Despite
adverse impacts from the COVID-19 epidemic, two-way trade between Vietnam and
Switzerland reached 863.5 million USD in 2020./. Young Vietnamese people in US join hands in supporting frontline
forces in HCM City Members of
“Stay Strong Saigon” - a project of young Vietnamese people in the US in
coordination with members of the “Vietnam - Unite for Vietnam” project to
launch a campaign to donate 20,000 N95 face masks to frontline forces in the
COVID-19 fight in Ho Chi Minh City, according to The Gioi va Viet Nam (World
and Vietnam) newspaper. The
coordination is hoped to help protect frontline doctors and medical workers
from COVID-19. Within 24
hours since launching, the campaign raised over nearly 12,000 USD from
donors. All members
of the “Stay Strong Saigon” and “Vietnam - Unite for Vietnam” are still
working hard every day to call for more donations for frontline medical
workers and people in HCM City. Another
campaign - VietBay - initiated by Vietnamese people living in Silicon Valley
in the US has been carried out with an aim of raising 200,000 USD to support
poor people in HCM City affected by the COVID-19 pandemic./. Over VND24 trillion proposed for expressway linking HCMC, Binh
Duong, Binh Phuoc The
68.7-kilometer HCMC-Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh expressway project passing through
HCMC and Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc provinces will need an estimated
investment of nearly VND24.3 trillion in the first phase, according to the
prefeasibility report for the project. A
representative of the Ministry of Transport said on August 3 that the
prefeasibility report had been completed. Accordingly,
the expressway will have two sections: one stretching from the Go Dua
Intersection to the An Phu Intersection in HCMC and the other from the An Phu
Intersection to an intersection with National Highway 14 in Chon Thanh
District, Binh Phuoc Province. In the first
phase, the 8.6-kilometer section was designed to have 10 lanes. The remaining
section will have four lanes. Of the
required investment for the first phase, more than VND12.1 trillion will be
sourced from the State budget and the remaining mobilized by the investor of
the project. If approved, the first phase will be conducted from 2021 to
2025. The HCMC-Thu
Dau Mot-Chon Thanh expressway is part of the Ho Chi Minh road project and the
country’s expressway system by 2020 with a vision to 2030. At present,
residents must pass some 120 kilometers of roads to travel from HCMC to Binh
Phuoc. Once the HCMC-Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh expressway is in place, the
connectivity of HCMC and the other localities in the southern key economic
zone and the Central Highlands will be improved, thus boosting the
socioeconomic development. Ha Tinh and Quang Tri to receive southern returnees Authorities
in Ha Tinh Province will organise five flights to help transport 1,000
low-income people home from the virus hotspots of HCM City and other southern
provinces and cities. Two flights
will be held on August 6, two flights on August 7 and one flight on August 8.
Each flight will have 190 seats. Ha Tinh Department of Labour, Invalids and
Social Affairs is helping to review and build a list of the returnees. Ha Tinh
already arranged a train to carry 814 people home from the southern
provinces. However, many people tested positive for Covid-19 afterwards. In Quang Tri
Province, the local authorities have also planned to transport about 400
low-income people home. A train will be arranged on August 11. It will stop
at Saigon Station in HCM City, Di An Station in Binh Duong and Long Khanh
Station in Dong Nai. All of the
returnees must be tested negative for Covid-19 within 72 hours prior to the
departure. People with
sickness, from ethnic minority groups, pregnant women, people over 60 years
old, children under 16 years old, students, tourists and people who are
visiting relatives are prioritised. Thousands of
people have registered to return to Quang Tri. On July 29, Quang Tri provincial
authorities received 384 returnees. The
provincial authorities have called for support for the people being stuck in
HCM City. HCM City to spend VND501bn to help uncontracted workers HCM City has
proposed to spend VND501bn (USD21.7m) to support uncontracted workers who are
facing difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The aid
package will be given to 334,000 people from the city budget. Each person
will be given VND1.5m. The
Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs also proposed to give 170,000
low-income people living in rental areas VND1m each household. 90,000 poor
and near-poor households will also be given VND1m each. Le Minh Tan,
director of the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said on
August 3 that they had submitted the proposal to HCM City People's Committee. "This
is the second aid package to uncontracted workers, poor and near-poor
households. The procedures will be simple and the money will be transferred
directly to the people," he said. "unemployed workers don't have
much savings and have many difficulties during the pandemic." In July,
334,000 uncontracted workers were also given VND1.5m each when the city
issued the first-aid package. Support centre for Covid-19 victims set up in HCM City Chairman of
Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Nguyen Thanh Phong has just decided to
set up a centre to provide support to local people who are facing
difficulties during the on-going virus outbreak in the area. The centre,
which is located at the headquarter of the city's Fatherland Front Committee
in District 1, will receive and manage goods including food and necessities
sent by donors to local people who are facing financial difficulties and
frontline workers doing the Covid-19 prevention and fighting work. The centre
will co-operate with authorities in Thu Duc City and districts to have a list
of people in need of support after losing their jobs due to the pandemic. Besides, the
centre will also check the needs of doctors, nurses and other staff who are
working at quarantine sites, field hospitals and other hospitals to timely
provide them with support. The
Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has just proposed to spend
VND501bn (USD21.7m) to support uncontracted workers and households who are
facing difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to
the proposal, 170,000 low-income families living in lockdown areas will be
given VND1m each. 90,000 poor and near-poor households will also be given
VND1m each. Outstanding achievements made in gender equality among ethnic
minorities: Report Vietnam made
outstanding achievements in gender equality in ethnic minority and
mountainous areas in the period of 2015 to 2019, including a drop of 4.7
percent in the rate of child marriage in ethnic minority groups, according to
a report released on August 4.
The report
“Figures on Ethnic Minority Women and Men in Viet Nam 2015-2019,” along with
the “Policy Brief: Gender issues in ethnic minority areas in Vietnam,” was
launched in celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous
Peoples on August 9. The report was conducted by the UN Entity for Gender
Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) with financial support from
the Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam, and in coordination with the Institute of
Labour Science and Social Affairs under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and
Social Affairs (ILSSA-MOLISA), and the Department of Ethnic Minority Affairs
- Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA). According to
the report, the percentage of ethnic minority households with access to the
internet (Wi-Fi, cable, or 3G) increased 9.4 times from 6.5 percent in 2015
to 61.3 percent in 2019, while the average income per capita per month of
ethnic minorities in 2018 increased by 1.8 times in four years, and the
average monthly income per capita of ethnic minority female-led households
was always higher than that of male-led households. The
proportion of children attending school at the right age increased by 15.2
percent from 2015 to 2019; and the percentage of ethnic minority people
participating in health insurance reached 93.5 percent with no difference
between men and women. The two
publications cover information on ethnic minority women and men in Vietnam
for the period of 2015-2019, including gender analysis outcomes and providing
policy recommendations for gender equality promotion in ethnic minority areas
in the country. Data in the
reports were analysed based on the findings of the Survey on the
Socio-economic Situation of the 53 Ethnic Minority Groups in Vietnam, which
was conducted by the General Statistics Office in collaboration with CEMA in
2015 and 2019. There are seven main topics: population; infrastructure and
assets; labour, employment, and income; education and training; culture and
society; health, environment, and sanitation; and ethnic minority cadres and
civil servants. The reports
also highlight persistent gender issues in ethnic minority and mountainous
areas which are affecting women and girls. For instance, while the overall
rate of child and consanguineous marriage among the 53 ethnic minority groups
has reduced, the extent of reduction was uneven and has continued to increase
among a number of ethnic minority groups. The analysis
found that female ethnic minority workers are more likely to undertake
insecure jobs and are more vulnerable in the workplace than their ethnic
minority male and Kinh female counterparts. Also, while the percentage of
ethnic minority women aged 10-49 who give birth at health facilities reached
86.4 percent, it remains significantly lower than that of Kinh women which is
over 99 percent. Bui Ton
Hien, Director of ILSSA-MOLISA said that in ethnic minority communities,
women and girls are often more disadvantaged in accessibility to
opportunities and resources due to social norms which impose an inferior
position to them, limit them within birth delivery and household production
activities. Meanwhile,
Luu Xuan Thuy, Director of Ethnic Minority Affairs Department under the CEMA
highly appreciated UN Women’s technical contribution and believed that gender
equality analyses in ethnic minority areas are fundamental information and
useful for the stakeholders in designing policies and intervention programmes
to ensure that ethnic minority women are not left behind in the country’s
sustainable development process. Elisa
Fernandez Saenz, UN Women Representative in Viet Nam said that the objective
of the reports is to provide stakeholders with a clearer picture on the
current gender equality situation in ethnic minority areas in Vietnam,
wherein gender issues are being well addressed by the government, but which
needs further effort for intervention in both areas of policy and programme. She
emphasised that gender equality issues which intersect with ethnicity are
often difficult to tackle and require a comprehensive approach, as well as
commitments of financial investment in the coming years. “UN Women
believes that these reports shall contribute to filling the gap of gender
statistics among ethnic minority groups in Vietnam, and to the progress of
promoting socio-economic and sustainable development in ethnic minority
areas,” she said. For her part,
Lisa Doherty, Deputy Head of Development at the Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam
said that Ireland believes it is critical to empower and support women and
their communities. The Embassy of Ireland’s partnership with UN Women aims to
ensure that the government's ethnic minority policies and programming -
support for which has always been a central pillar of Ireland’s engagement in
Vietnam - include appropriately strong attention to gender considerations and
prioritise women's empowerment, she added./. All contacts of Covid cases in HCMC can self-isolate at home The HCMC
Department of Health has recommended that Thu Duc City and all districts in
the city should quarantine all direct contacts of conformed Covid-19 cases at
their residences. At a
conference to review the home quarantine of direct contacts of Covid-19 cases
in the city on August 3, Doctor Nguyen Huu Hung, deputy director of the
municipal Department of Health, said the solution was urgent amid the current
situation, requiring the cooperation of all competent agencies and
quarantined people, the local media reported. The
department proposed that Thu Duc City and districts make arrangements for
people to monitor those quarantined. Direct contacts of Covid cases violating
the anti-virus regulations during the self-isolation at home will be sent to
centralized quarantine centers or face sanctions. The city has
piloted home quarantine for asymptomatic Covid cases and direct contacts of
Covid cases for half a month. In the
current wave of infections, which began on April 27, the city has repeatedly
changed the quarantine regulations. Earlier, direct contacts of Covid cases
were put under centralized quarantine for 14 and then 21 days and a further
home quarantine for seven more days. In early
July, the city’s Covid cases reached 7,000 and directs contacts of Covid
cases exceeded 14,000, causing an overload at concentrated quarantine
facilities. The municipal Department of Health started piloting home
quarantine for direct contacts of Covid cases in eight high-risk districts
for 28 days. The city
also put direct contacts of Covid cases at centralized quarantine centers for
14 days and at home for 14 more days in line with the Ministry of Health’s
directions. Since July
17, the city has piloted home quarantine for direct contacts of Covid
patients. The military and police forces were responsible for ensuring
security and social order and monitoring quarantined people, while healthcare
workers were in charge of instructing quarantined people to make health declarations
on the Vietnam Health Declaration app, taking their samples for Covid
testing, instructing them to collect waste properly and informing the
healthcare centers if direct contacts of Covid cases test positive for the
coronavirus. As of August
3, HCMC had sent nearly 42,700 people into mandatory quarantine, including
over 5,900 people at centralized quarantine centers and some 36,700 others at
home. Student wins VFCD festival poster competition College
student Nguyễn Ngọc Thư has won first prize at a graphic design contest held
to design a poster that promotes Việt Nam’s identity and culture. The contest
is a part of the Việt Nam Festival of Creativity & Design 2021 (VFCD)
which is organised by RMIT University in Việt Nam, in collaboration with UNESCO,
the Việt Nam National Institute of Culture & Arts Studies and COLAB Việt
Nam. With the
concept "Balancing the Intersections", Thư’s design was made with
lines and cubes. She was inspired by images of daily life across the country
such as street vendors carrying poles across their shoulders on hot summer
days or flower vendors riding their bicycles through Hà Nội's quiet Old
Quarter streets in the afternoon. Images of
ferry boats lying next to one another in the Mekong Delta impressed her a
lot. “I also
remember a childhood toy – the wooden dragonfly swaying at the tips of our
fingers,” said Thư, 21, a third-year student at the Graphic Design Department
in FPT College, Hà Nội. “All evoke
in me a sense of balance – balancing between the old and the new, between the
calm and the chaotic.” Thư’s design
will be developed further and become the key visual used throughout the
festival. She will be featured and mentioned as a Creative Partner of VFCD
2021 and will take home a prize worth VNĐ25 million (more than US$1,000). Three awards
for inspiring ideas were also granted to Nguyễn Hoàng Mạnh Khang, 26, and Ngô
Quang Trung, 22, from HCM City, and Ngô Nguyễn Thụy Anh, 22, from Helsinki
(Finland). They will
receive an honorary gift of VNĐ5 million each. All four winners will be
featured in a public talk about the graphic design idea for VFCD 2021. “I am
impressed with the contestants and professionalism,” said Professor Julia
Gaimster, RMIT dean of the School of Communication & Design. “They showed
us very clear, professional, forward thinking and well researched
presentations. They are talented in the use of technology, with many
innovative ideas that would appeal to a variety of audiences.” The VFCD
Graphic Design Contest attracted 37 individuals and groups of Vietnamese
contestants aged 18-30 from all over Việt Nam and abroad. The judges
selected the winners based on five criteria including creativity, innovation,
symbolic thinking, branding orientation, and inspiration. The contest
was beneficial to not only the contestants but also to hundreds of young
designers and audiences who directly participated in the two workshops
organised by VFCD 2021. These
included Designing Key Visuals & Creative Merchandise: The Dos and
Don’ts led by reputable design company Hands Collective; and From
VFMD to VFCD and beyond: What we’ve learnt led by Behalf Studio -- the
prominent designers behind the impressive key visuals of the previous two
editions of VFCD. HCMC establishes center for essential goods reception, delivery
support The Ho Chi
Minh City People’s Committee has just decided to establish a center for
essential goods reception and delivery support to help people with difficult
circumstances due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The
newly-established center is based on Ho Chi Minh City Vietnamese Fatherland
Front, 55 Mac Dinh Chi Street, Da Kao Ward, District 1. Chairwoman
of the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnamese Fatherland Front Committee To Thi Bich
Chau takes the role of the center director along with 18 other members who
are representatives of municipal departments, units and agencies. The center
is responsible for receiving and managing the donated foodstuffs and
essential goods from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to
provide those people with difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic and front
forces participating in the fight against Covid-19. The
management board will collaborate with the authorities of Thu Duc City and
districts of HCMC to review the on-demand support of poor households,
unemployed people. Based on the demand, the center will organize the food and
goods delivery to the residents through local authorities. Sporadic goods allocation hampers shopping ticket use in HCMC HCMC
citizens are complaining about the long and crowded queues at grocery
shopping locations, while supermarkets struggle to anticipate the flow of
shoppers and stock shelves on time. After the
first week of using the grocery shopping tickets, residents of Go Vap District
complained they could not always buy what they needed after waiting in line
for hours. Since traditional marketplaces in Go Vap are not allowed to
operate, people flock towards supermarkets and small retail outlets, causing
fresh food to run out during peak shopping hours. In some
notable examples, local residents have reported that locations with quality
fresh products usually run out of stock early, while some other places would
quote fluctuating prices on essential goods. Meanwhile in
Binh Thanh District, people have enjoyed uncrowded grocery trips thanks to
having scheduled shopping hours. According to a local official, there is an
abundance of supermarkets in the area but not many people, hence such
convenience. Speaking
with SGGP News on August 03, Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of
Industry and Trade Nguyen Nguyen Phuong said the shopping tickets are meant
to limit the number of people by each time frame to ensure social distancing
as well as manage the supply flow. He stressed, however, that the execution
does not need to be too rigid, and that each locality could make changes to
the number of shopping locations allowed based on a number of factors. He also
added that there is no shortage of goods coming to HCMC but rather a lack of
operational distribution channels. There are currently only 27 working
traditional, mainly in the suburbs. Meanwhile,
retail outlets like supermarket chains and convenience stores are struggling
to keep up with the number of shoppers with a reduced number of employees,
many of whom are stuck in quarantine. The HCMC
People’s Committee previously directed its localities to make sure there is
enough essential goods to go around, and requires cooperation from the local
distribution channels to mobilize available means of transport for timely and
continuous supply. Thu Duc City launches ambulance service for Covid-19 patients A fleet of
eight ambulances transporting persons with suspected symptoms of the
coronavirus disease to hospitals has been launched in Thu Duc City. Covid-19
patients in need of this service, can book it through the number, 1800.1722. It is an
attempt being made by the Thu Duc City’s authorities to tackle the ongoing
pandemic, said Chairman of the People’s Council of Thu Duc City Nguyen Phuoc
Hung said at the launching of ambulance service on August 3. Each of
these ambulances is equipped with equipment in emergency medical services. A
separate team of drivers and emergency medical workers was created for the
purpose to carry patients to hospitals safely and quickly. Previously,
a motorbike emergency medical response service that can enter narrow alleys
to carry out patients was launched by the Le Van Thinh Hospital in Thu Duc
City. In
conferences on Covid-19 prevention and control, Chairman of the HCMC People’s
Committee has also asked the municipal Health Department and the 115
Emergency Center to mobilize sources of ambulance services in the public and
private healthcare units to support the transportation of F0 cases and help
the city reduce mortality rates in severe Covid-19 patients. As of
present, the city has a total of 200 vehicles and plans to add more 100
ambulances in the next two weeks. In addition, Mai Linh Joint Stock Company
has converted 200 taxis to mini-ambulances amid spike in demand. Source:
VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes |
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