VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES AUGUST 7
16:018
million COVID-19 shots administered in VN
More than 8 million shots of
COVID-19 vaccine have been given to people in Việt Nam as of the end of
Thursday, with over 820,000 having been given two jabs, according to the
health ministry on Friday. By August 5,
HCM City, the country's current COVID-19 epicentre, had given jabs to more
than 2 million people, with 28.92 per cent of adults receiving at
least one vaccine dose, the second highest rate in the country so far. Bắc Ninh has
administered 318,760 doses, but due to its much smaller population, the northern
province, a former hot spot, has covered 32.35 per cent of
its adults with at least one dose. The capital
city of Hà Nội has administered 1,198,036 doses, with 20.85 per cent of the
adult population receiving at least one dose. By July 27,
five months after Việt Nam started giving COVID-19 vaccinations to its
people, the number of injections exceeded 5 million; more than
6 million by July 31; and now more than 8 million. The COVID-19
vaccine campaign is now open to all people from 18 and older. The vaccination
campaign is currently entering the fifth phase according to the Ministry
of Health's plan. HCM City has completed the fifth round of vaccinations
and started implementing the sixth round from August 3. So far six
vaccines have been licensed for use in Việt Nam by the Ministry of
Health. Five of these have been delivered to Việt Nam (AstraZeneca, Sputnik
V, Pfizer/BioNTech, Sinopharm and Moderna). In July,
Việt Nam approved Johnson & Johnson's Janssen
coronavirus vaccine for emergency use but no delivery or purchase from
the US group has been confirmed. PM appoints Deputy Minister of Transport
Prime
Minister Pham Minh Chinh has decided to appoint Nguyen Duy Lam as new Deputy
Minister of Transport. Nguyen, born
in 1972 in the northern province of Thai Nguyen promoted to the new role from
his previous position as Director-General of the ministry’s Engineering
Construction and Traffic Management./. Vietnam approves sustainable forestry development programme by
2025 The
Vietnamese government on August 5 issued Resolution No.84/NQ-CP approving the
programme on sustainable forestry development in 2021-2025. Under the
programme, the forestry industry will be modernised towards sustainable
forest development, forest protection, processing and trade, thus
contributing to creating jobs, protecting the ecosystem, eco-diversity,
increasing climate change mitigation and adaption, and protecting national
defence and security. The
programme will focus on protecting the existing forest coverage in a
sustainable manner and developing new areas in 2021-2025; strictly managing
the transfer of forest use into other purposes, maintainng stably the
national forest coverage at 42 per cent; while increasing productivity and
forest quality to meet demands of materials for production and protection and
environment protection, and to preserving biodiversity. The
programme specifically aims to increase the growth rate of forestry
production value by 5.0-5.5 per cent annually and the export of woodwork and
other related to about $20 billion in 2025, while increasing deep processing
and export of high-value woodwork and forest products. The country
will support woodwork and forest product processing activities in line with
the policies on encouraging businesses to invest in rural development and
prevailing rules. Northern heatwave to last until August 10 The northern
and central regions are facing a severe heatwave which is forecast to last
until August 10. According to
the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, the temperature on
August 5 in the northern region and north-central coast were 35-39 degrees
with 45-60% of humidity. Due to the foehn winds, the temperatures continue to
stay high the following day. The regions will have 10-18 hours of over 35
degrees and 45-60% of humidity. In Hanoi,
the temperatures on August 6 were around 36-38 degrees. The heatwave in the
northern region will last until August 9. The temperature will start to go
down from August 10. However, the
heatwave in the central region will go on for some more days. Because of
the heatwave and foehn winds, warnings over residential fires have been
raised, especially when demands for electricity are increasing. Warnings over
wildfires were raised in the central region. The heatwave may also cause
dehydration and heat shock. Hanoi farm produce transhipment spots proposed The Hanoi
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed the
establishment of transshipment spots to reduce the pressure on local
wholesales markets. The
recommendation was made after several markets, including Long Bien wholesale
market, and many supermarkets and convenience stores were temporarily closed
due to Covid-19 locations. This has partially affected the farm produce
supply for the city. Under the
proposal sent to the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development,
the city should use Yen Nghia Station in Ha Dong District, a stadium in Thanh
Tri District, a stadium in Hoai Duc District and several others in Gia Lam
District as goods transhipment centres. The
department has also suggested using the Ministry of Agriculture and
Development’s Trade Promotion Centre in Cau Giay District for this purpose. According to
the department, districts in Hanoi need to conduct Covid-19 vaccination for
agriculture staff. The Hanoi
Department of Transport has been asked to create favourable conditions for
vehicles transporting agricultural products to enter the city. Young Scientists Conference 2021 attract university students As many as
500 local and foreign delegates attended the Young Scientists Conference 2021
held virtually on August 6 by the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City,
to promote young innovations in the Industry 4.0 era. Organisers
chose 24 out of 774 reports to be presented at the conference, including
those sent from China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, the
United States, and Taiwan. Another 50 reports were selected for an exhibition
as part of the conference. The reports
primarily focus on science and technology development in fields such as
economics, biochemistry, electronics, and mechanics. The
conference aims to provide a platform for young students and scientists in
which they can exchange and share their experiences in developing scientific
and technological products in daily life. The annual
conference has been organised by the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh
City since 2019. This year
marks the first time that the event, the largest of its kind, has been held
through an online format. AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 draw postponed due to COVID-19 The draw for
the upcoming AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 will be postponed because of the disruptive
impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the region, the ASEAN Football
Federation (AFF) have confirmed. The draw had
been scheduled to take place in Singapore on August 10. However, due to the
fresh coronavirus outbreak in the host country, it has been delayed, with the
date for the new draw set to be announced in due course. The regional
tournament was originally set to take place in December 2020, but it was
delayed amid COVID-19 fears. It was
subsequently postponed until December 5, with the plan for it to finish on
January 1, 2022. A total of
10 teams will be divided into two groups for the competition. Vietnam are
drawn in seed group one alongside Thailand. The
Vietnamese team do have history in the competition, winning the 2018 AFF
Suzuki Cup after defeating Malaysia in the final. HCM City completes disbursement of first support package for
COVID-19-hit people Ho Chi Minh
City's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs on August 6
announced that the city has basically completed the disbursement of the first
support package for COVID-19-hit people, with over 611 billion VND (26.56
million USD) given to more than 391,020 local residents. Of the
total, nearly 500 billion VND was used to assist 311,619 workers without
labour contracts (freelancers) who lost their jobs, reaching 100 percent,
while over 11.2 billion VND was offered to 5,603 business households whose
operations have been suspended (100 percent), and over 17.1 billion VND was
provided to more than 11,400 traders in traditional markets (more than 88.6
percent). Localities
across the city has supported 44,244 labourers having their contracts
temporary suspended or on unpaid leave with nearly 84 billion VND, while
giving nearly 400 million VND to labourers with terminated contracts but are
not eligible for unemployment benefits, reaching 15.7 percent. Explaining
the low rate of support disbursement to some groups, a representative from
the department said that many people are undertaking quarantine or left the
city, making it impossible to deliver the aid to them. According to
Vice Chairman of them municipal People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc, the city
has approved a second support package worth more than 900 billion VND, with
each freelancer and poor household receiving 1.5 million VND in cash. The second
package targets 604,500 people in three groups, with 501 billion VND expected
to be provided for freelancers losing jobs. Duc added
that in reality, the number of poor and near-poor households living in the
city may be higher than statistics, but all these families will receive
support./. PM orders further COVID-19 vaccine allocation to southern localities Prime
Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked the Ministry of Health (MoH) to promptly
allocate more COVID-19 vaccines to Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces,
which are the country’s current largest hotspots. The MoH is
also ordered to build plans for the distribution of the next vaccine batches
and urge relevant agencies to speed up vaccination pace. In a bid for
HCM City and adjacent localities to reach herd immunity in the fastest time
possible, Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee for
COVID-19 Prevention and Control, requested authorities of HCM City and its
neighbouring provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Long An take the
initiative in working with the Health Ministry to adjust the vaccine
administration procedures in tandem with requirements and current situations,
as well as devise vaccination plans and report the vaccine demand based on
the plans to the Ministry. The MoH is
responsible for the vaccine distribution to ensure supply based on requests
of the People’s Committees of HCM City and the provinces./. Grab lobbies to join Covid-19 patient and equipment service Grab is
seeking approval from HCM City authorities to participate in transporting
Covid-19 patients and medical equipment. Under the
proposal sent to the HCM departments of health and transport, Grab said that
the firm wanted to use cars to carry Covid-19 patients and other people to
medical facilities (Grab Emergency). GrabCar service will also be used for
transporting medical equipment to quarantined and sealed-off areas and field
hospitals (Grab Medical Health). All drivers
who drive these cars would be vaccinated against Covid-19. The entire cost
for the operation of the fleet would be paid by the firm. According to
Grab, the two services could be conducted in districts 12, 7, Go Vap, Binh
Thanh and Thu Duc first. They would also cover areas requested by the
departments of health and transport. Once
approved, Grab would arrange 100 cars. This figure could be higher if
requested. The plan is
divided into two phases. In the first phase scheduled from August 15 to
September 1, Grab would operate the Grab Emergency service. The firm would
also run both Grab Emergency and Grab Medical Health services from September
1. Đà Nẵng bridges closed amid tightening COVID-19 travel
restrictions The central
city’s People's Committee has closed two bridges – the Hàn River Swing and
Thuận Phước – to limit travel between downtown Đà Nẵng and the Sơn
Trà peninsula as 45 out of the 77 infections found on Thursday were in Sơn Trà. The city’s
Centre for Disease Control (CDC) said Thọ Quang fishing port in the Sơn Trà
peninsula has become a hotspot for coronavirus infections as the
number of positive cases in the district accounted for 50 per cent of the
city’s total infections since July 28. In
supporting people in lockdown zones in the district, the city’s People’s
Committee has allocated an allowance of nearly VNĐ100 billion (US$4.4
million) for 160,000 local residents living in the high-risk areas. This
equates to assistance of VNĐ40,000 per person, per day. Different
community-based voluntary teams have been assigned to help local residents to
buy essential goods and food taking orders every three days during the
lockdown. The city has
asked power and clean water supply companies to delay fee collection from
lock-down zones as well as to improve banking services in coronavirus hit
areas. Chairman of
the Sơn Trà district’s People’s Committee, Hoàng Sơn Trà said a logistic team
had been assigned to provide food and necessities for families with small
children, pregnant mothers and people with disabilities. Mass testing
programmes have been undertaken in high-risk areas including traditional
markets, apartments and fishing trade agents to eliminate possible
infections in the community from unknown sources. Following a
decision after a meeting on Thursday, the city will begin home quarantine for
close contacts of people who have finished a seven-day quarantine at a mass
centre with three negative test results in the districts of Hòa Vang and Ngũ
Hành Sơn. The deputy
director of the city’s CDC, Dr Nguyễn Hòa said only certain accommodations
would be used such as apartments or private houses for the first 10
people who began their home quarantine in Hòa Vang district on Thursday. He said more
than 1,000 SARS-COV-2 infection cases across 18 hotspots had been recorded in
Đà Nẵng since July 10. Thọ Quang fishing port had the most with 535 cases. The CDC also
warned that Hòa Cầm Industrial Zone was shaping up to be another hotspot as a
new infection case (F0) was found at Fujikura Automotive company followed by
six others that tested positive with SARS-COV-2 in pool tests on Thursday. It said
3,349 people were recorded as close contacts (F1), while 5,254 cases were
indirect contacts (F2). Art programmes planned to encourage people’s spirit amid
pandemic The Ministry
of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced a plan to hold art programmes
which aims to encourage the people to surmount the COVID-19 pandemic. The shows
will be broadcast on both television channels and digital platforms. The plan is
hoped to liven up people’s spirit amid complex developments of COVID-19,
develop traditional cultural values of Vietnam and call for artists’
creativity, devotion and passion in making new works encouraging the fight
against the pandemic, thus sending messages of patriotism. The
organisation of the programmes must strictly comply with regulations on
COVID-19 prevention and control. As social
distancing measures have been in place in many localities nationwide, the
ministry previously held a number of programmes to motivate citizens as well
as frontline workers. VND1 trillion from second COVID-19 relief package disbursed Hundreds of
thousands of freelance workers and employees who lost their jobs due to the
economic impact of COVID-19 have now received over VND1 trillion from
Vietnam’s second relief package. As much as
1,037 billion has been disbursed to support 838,000 workers from 37 cities
and provinces, mostly in the south, according to the Ministry of Labour,
Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA). MOLISA
Minister Dao Ngoc Dung said migrant workers, including lottery sellers and
street vendors, are among those most vulnerable to COVID-19, and it is very
difficult to carry out aid policy for this group of beneficiaries. However, he
assured that his ministry has requested localities to simplify procedures to
ensure all people in need, including migrant workers, enjoy the State policy. In early
July the Government approved a resolution to implement a VND26,000 billion
relief package for people affected by the fresh coronavirus outbreak that
started in April 2021. Last year,
the Government also endorsed a similar package worth VND62,000 billion to
support businesses and people in cushioning the impact of COVID-19. Vietnam is
battling with the fourth coronavirus outbreak, with the virus spreading to
almost all 63 cities and provinces across the country and more than 180,000
cases recorded. Treatment areas set up for pregnant women with COVID-19 in HCM
City
Ho Chi Minh
City has set up treatment areas exclusively for pregnant women with COVID-19
given a surge in daily cases. The Hung
Vuong Hospital and the Tu Du Hospital, the two largest maternity facilities
in the city, have been assigned with this task. Up to 120
women who get infected with the coronavirus during pregnancy have been
admitted to the Hung Vuong Hospital over the past week, said Director Hoang
Thi Diem Tuyet. Meanwhile,
with 150 beds, the Tu Du Hospital is treating more than 70 COVID-19 patients
who are pregnant women and those with gynecological diseases. Doctors from
the two hospitals have also coordinated with their colleagues in other
hospitals to conduct surgeries for pregnant women with COVID-19./. National water resources inventory to be carried out An inventory
of water resources on inter-provincial river basins and national will be
implemented for the first time under a project which has just been approved
by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh. The National
Water Resources Inventory project, to be carried out in the next five years,
will provide data on water resources, exploitation and use of water as well
as discharge of wastewater for the State management, planning, and
allocation of water resources. It will
serve as a basis for completing policies and laws on water resources,
adjusting strategies and plans on exploitation, use, and protection of these
resources towards ensuring water security, socio-economic development and
national digital transformation. The
inventory aims to obtain the first inventory indicators of water resources,
water exploitation and use, and discharge of wastewater including the amount
of surface water, the quality of surface and underground water, the
exploitation and use of surface water, and the use of sea water. It will
develop software to manage, update and exploit national water resource
inventory data and publicise the results of the inventory of water resources
on inter-provincial river basins and nationwide. To realise
the target, a detailed plan to carry out the inventory will be set forth,
ensuring feasibility, efficiency and synchronization, and avoiding a waste of
resources. Software for
managing, updating, and exploiting water resource inventory data will also be
created to connect inventory data with the national database of the natural
resources and environment sector and digital transformation./. Drawing contest about Hanoi launched Young
artists will have an opportunity to show their talents and creativity through
a drawing contest about Hanoi. The contest
will last from August 6 to September 9, aiming to promote the title
"Hanoi - Creative City" awarded by UNESCO in 2019. It is
organised by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO), the United Nations Human Settlement Program
(UN-Habitat), and the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS)
with the companionship of the Vietnam Local Artist Group (VLAG). The contest
is part of the Hanoi Rethink project initiated by UNESCO, UN-Habitat, and the
UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), with the support of SOVICO
Group, to realise the city's commitments when joining the UNESCO Creative
Cities Network. According to
UNESCO, the COVID-19 pandemic may limit the movement of people, but it cannot
stop the flow of creativity. The drawing contest about Hanoi welcomes unique
ideas from different visual arts forms such as painting, drawing and
design. Entrants can freely express a Hanoi behind their artistic lens
and emotions. The winner
will be awarded a cash prize of 10 million VND (438 USD). There
will be four co-winners for second place, one voting prize and 24 prizes for
outstanding works./. Private health facilities join the fight against COVID-19 in HCM
City At 11pm on
July 26, Trần Văn Dương, the director of Sài Gòn Medical Clinic in HCM City’s
Bình Chánh District, and his staff transported several COVID-19 patients to
field hospital No.11 in Thủ Đức city. “Transporting
is carried out day and night. Whenever we get calls from health centres, we
immediately go on duty,” Dr Dương said. For several
months, Dương and his staff have stayed at the medical clinic to be ready to
transport and provide medical assistance to COVID-19 patients at home. Recognising
the shortage of ambulances, Dương contacted the city Department of Health to
ask for permission to volunteer in the fight against COVID-19. The clinic
staff work in two teams during day and night shifts to transport and provide
oxygen cylinders and provide first aid as well as other online medical
consultancies to COVID-19 patients isolated at home. “In the
beginning, we took COVID-19 patients including children to hospitals. I was
moved when I saw a father holding his 6-month-old baby,” Dương said. “When
several patients called to ask for help at 1am or 2am, I immediately brought
oxygen cylinders to their home and showed them how to use them. The next day,
their family called me to say that their health was more stable. Hearing this
good news, I felt happy." Dương has
been receiving more calls from health centres and relatives of COVID-19
patients. “On the
Facebook group, I wrote that I was ready to provide medical assistance to COVID-19
patients. Nearly 20 people called me to double check because they did not
believe that I was a doctor. I had to try to convince them that I was a real
doctor,” Dương said. “The emotion
between people can be seen. Any death is a big loss. Although the risk of
contracting COVID-19 is high, we are not afraid. We hope people in the city
strictly comply with regulations so that the city can return to so-called
normal life,” Dương said. Nguyễn Thị
Kim Yến, of the Sài Gòn Medical Clinic’s staff, has also joined the team to
transport COVID-19 patients to hospitals. Yến is in charge of helping the
patients get into and out of the ambulance, and also provides other aid. “In the last
month and a half, I have gone home only one time, to put powdered milk in
front of my home because I do not dare hold my 4-year-old son. I am working
in an environment with high transmission risk. My son and I only talk on the
phone. He said to me once that mommy has joined the fight against COVID-19,”
she said. The Nhất Tâm
Charity non-profit organisation and Apollo Silicone Joint Stock Company have
also set up volunteer teams and ambulances to transport COVID-19 patients to
hospitals. Speaking at
a press meeting on Tuesday, Nguyễn Hoài Nam, deputy head of the city
Department of Health, emphasised the importance of timely transportation of
COVID-19 patients from their homes to hospitals or between hospitals. Asymptomatic
COVID-19 patients isolated at home who become worse should be transported
rapidly to hospitals, he said. The city
Health Department and 115 Emergency Aid Centre have encouraged private health
facilities and others to use their ambulances to transport COVID-19 patients. Public
health facilities have a total of 85 ambulances, while the city has nearly
120 ambulances, some of which have been donated by companies. In the next two
weeks, the number is expected to increase by 100. The city is
changing the function of 200 taxis to be used as ambulances to meet demand.
About 400 oxygen cylinders have been donated and will be stored in the taxis,
according to Nam. Fifteen
coaches have also been converted to transport COVID-19 patients and sent to
districts and Thủ Đức city to use. To have
enough ambulance drivers, the 115 Emergency Aid Centre is seeking volunteers
with a B2 driving licence. Nguyễn Hoài
Linh, 28, a teacher at Võ Thị Sáu High School in Bình Thạnh District, has
registered to become a volunteer driver. Linh is trained in disease
prevention and control, and how to wear protective clothing and disinfect
ambulances. “I comply
with regulations to protect myself. I try to take COVID-19 patients to
hospitals as soon as possible. The patients thank me. I hope I can contribute
a small part to help the city control the outbreak,” Linh said. Private
health centres Sài Gòn
Medical Clinic is one of the first private health facilities in the city to
work along with public clinics in the fight against COVID-19 and share the
burden of transporting COVID-19 patients to hospitals. Because of
the increase in COVID-19 patients, the Ministry of Health on July 24 called
on all public and private health facilities as well as retired doctors to
join the fight. On August 1,
Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long checked the operation of an intensive
care centre for severe COVID-19 cases, saying that the city needed assistance
from private health clinics. Private
hospitals joining the fight in the city include Hoàn Mỹ Thủ Đức International
General Hospital in Thủ Đức city, Triều An Hospital and City International
Hospital in Bình Tân District, Xuyên Á Hospital in Củ Chi District and Nam
Sài Gòn General Hospital in District 7. These
hospitals admit COVID-19 patients at the third level of the five-level
treatment model, which means they are moderate cases with underlying medical
conditions that need to be treated. The Hoàn Mỹ
Thủ Đức International General Hospital on Monday (August 2) began admitting
COVID-19 patients after one week of preparation. The hospital meets the criteria
on medical equipment and facilities of a COVID-19 treatment hospital. In the first
phase, 100 beds on the second to fourth floors are being used. The number of
beds will increase to 200 in the second phase. Dr Nguyễn
Tuấn, the hospital’s director, said: “Hoàn Mỹ’s health workers are ready to
help frontline forces protect the health and life of the whole community.” On August 1,
the City International Hospital opened a treatment centre on the fifth floor,
in collaboration with the HCM City University Medical Center. The 50-bed
centre has a separate pathway to ensure safety for areas serving patients
with other diseases at the hospital. Previously,
the fifth floor was used as an isolation area for people who were suspected
of contracting COVID-19. The hospital plans to use the sixth floor, which is
under construction, to treat COVID-19 patients if necessary. It began
admitting COVID-19 patients on Tuesday. Triều An
Hospital has set aside 100 beds to treat COVID-19 patients in a separate
area. Xuyên Á Hospital also has a separate facility with 125 beds to serve
COVID-19 patients. In a related
matter, the vice chairman of People’s Committee, Dương Anh Đức, said that
private health facilities have also assigned staff to help speed up the
city’s vaccination drive. Film screening for national holidays must comply with COVID-19
regulations: Ministry A Vietnamese
film screening programme will be held nationwide during the holidays
celebrating the 76th August Revolution on August 19 and National Day on
September 2. The Ministry
of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) has issued a decision on the film
screening programme advising that it must fully comply with regulations on
COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control. It says the
event should only be carried out in localities if the COVID-19 pandemic is
under control. The ministry
has assigned the Cinema Department to assume responsibility for the event and
to coordinate with the Central Documentary and Scientific Film Studio, a
one-member Ltd. Company; the Vietnam Animation Studio Joint Stock Company;
the Giải Phóng and Diệp Cơ entertainment companies; departments of culture,
information, sports and tourism; and centres of culture and art; cinemas and
film distributors at all levels from central cities to the provinces to
organise the nationwide programme from August 19 to September 5, 2021. Four
highlighted films have been selected to be screened during the national
occasions including Hạnh Phúc Của Mẹ (Mother's Happiness) - a feature
produced by Diệp Cơ Entertainment Co., Ltd; Chung một cội nguồn (The Same
Origin) - a documentary film by the Central Documentary and Scientific Film
Studio Co., Ltd; Sắc Xuân Trên Thổ Cẩm (Spring on Brocade) by the Giải Phóng
Film Joint Stock Company; and Người Thầy Muôn Đời (Teacher) - an animated
film by Việt Nam Animation Studio Joint Stock Company. "In
cases where the programme cannot be held in localities, the cinema units
should show these films at the next available time," according to the
culture ministry. Similar
programmes celebrating film have been organised across the country every year
for the past several years. Last year,
five Vietnamese films were chosen to be screened for free to celebrate the
75th August Revolution and National Day holidays. The
highlight of the event was the animated film Tắc Kè Phá Án (Chameleon Solves
Thief Case) produced by the Vietnam Animation Studio. The film was
nominated for best animation at the 21st Việt Nam Film Festival organised by
the Cinema Department in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu Province in 2019. Closed markets for Covid-19 infectious cases to be resumed Minister of
Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has just proposed the People’s Committees
of provinces and cities under the central authority to consider the reopening
of closed traditional markets linked to the Covid-19 infectious cases under
the necessary condition of all traders must get at least one shot of vaccine. The markets
will be resumed if both management boards and small traders strictly comply
with Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control measures, follow the Health
Ministry's 5K message featuring khau trang (face masks), khu khuan
(disinfection), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings) and
khai bao y te (health declarations) during trading between buyers and
sellers. It is
necessary to make medical declarations via QR Code and check the temperature for
all people before entering the markets. Business
households are allowed to trade in essential goods according to the
regulations. Vietnamese, Chilean Parties beef up cooperation The
Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Communist Party of Chile exchanged
information and experience in different spheres at an online workshop on
August 6. Head of the
CPV Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung
briefed the Chilean side on the outcome of the 13th National Party Congress
and the country’s development targets by 2030 with a vision towards 2045. He affirmed
Vietnam’s consistent policy of independence, self-reliance, peace,
friendship, cooperation and development, and the diversification and
multilateralisation of foreign relations. The CPV
always wishes to boost and deepen the solidarity and traditional friendship
with the Communist Party of Chile as well as other political Parties in the
country, Trung said. Claudio de
Negri, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Chile and
head of the committee’s Commission for External Relations, expressed his hope
that under the sound leadership of the CPV, headed by General Secretary
Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnamese people will successfully implement the
Resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress. The
Communist Party of Chile, progressive forces and people in the Latin American
country always attach importance and wish to enhance the traditional
friendship and cooperation with the Vietnamese Party and people, he said. The two
sides shared experience in Party building, democracy practice, socio-economic
development and international integration, and proposed specific measures to
foster their ties in the time to come./. Vietnamese, Cambodian state audit agencies discuss cooperation State
Auditor General of Vietnam Tran Sy Thanh held online talks with his Cambodian
counterpart Som Kim Suor on August 6 to discuss bilateral cooperation between
the two agencies. At the
meeting, the two sides agreed to jointly review and evaluate results of
implementing the agreement on exchange and cooperation between the agencies
signed in 2008. Based on the assessment, measures will be put forth to
improve the quality and effectiveness for their collaboration bilaterally and
multilaterally in the future. Accordingly,
they will increase delegation exchanges, discuss experiences and professional
knowledge regarding matters of common interest, and step up human resources
training. Thanh took
the occasion to thanks valuable support of the Cambodian National Audit
Authority for the State Audit of Vietnam (SAV) at bilateral and multilateral
collaboration forums. He lauded the Cambodian side’s active contributions as
a pillar in the triangle cooperation among Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Speaking
highly of effective joint works between the sides in the past time, he hoped
to foster the ties toward effectiveness and practical outcomes in line with
current demand. Som Kim Suor
expressed her gratitude for the assistance from the SAV and the Vietnamese
people for Cambodia so far, particularly amid COVID-19. A
cooperation agreement between the two agencies is expected to be signed in
June 2022 on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of Vietnam – Cambodia
diplomatic relations./. Webinar looks back on 45-year-old Vietnam-Thailand relations A webinar
titled “The 45th Anniversary of Vietnam-Thailand Relations: Taking Stock and
Moving Forward” was organised on August 6 on the occasion of the anniversary. The webinar
was jointly held by the Institute of Security and International Studies under
Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University and the Centre for Southeast Asian
Studies under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. At the
event, scholars focused discussions on Vietnam-Thailand cooperation in all
fields of politics - security, economy, trade, investment, culture, tourism,
and people-to-people exchanges, as well as their close cooperation and mutual
support at multilateral mechanisms and in regional and international issues
of mutual concern. They agreed
that there are good prospects for economic and political collaboration,
connectivity, labour, and climate change response between the two countries. Addressing
the webinar, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chi Thanh affirmed that
in recent years, the bilateral relationship has continuously developed in all
fields. The two sides established a strategic partnership in 2013 and
elevated it to an enhanced strategic partnership in 2019. The two countries have
also agreed to increase high-level visits and consultations through existing
bilateral mechanisms, such as the Political Consultative Group (PCG), the
Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) and the Joint Cabinet
Retreat (JCR). In 2020,
amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the bilateral trade turnover still reached 16
billion USD, with Thailand currently being Vietnam's largest trading partner
in ASEAN. The two sides set a target to increase two-way trade to 25 billion
USD by 2025. Thailand is one of the top ten foreign investors in Vietnam with
over 12.3 billion USD. Regarding
regional and global security and development issues, participants suggested
the two countries continue to work with other countries in the region to
maintain peace, stability and security in the East Sea, address differences
and disputes through international law, including the 1982 United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./. Communist Party of Britain member praises Vietnam's innovative
path in socialist construction The
Communist Party of Vietnam has not only embraced the principles of
Marxism-Leninism, but from Ho Chi Minh onward, has successfully applied it to
the realities of Vietnamese society and to enhance Vietnam’s place in the
world. This is the
statement made by Kenny Coyle, member of the International Commission of the
Communist Party of Britain. According to
Coyle, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee
Nguyen Phu Trong’s article entitled "A number of theoretical and practical
issues on socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam" offers
some fascinating answers to the success of Vietnam and outlines the
tremendous vitality of modern Vietnam. He said the
Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has resisted both dogmatic approaches to
Marxism, which fail to take into account ever-changing conditions, and also
various anti-socialist ideologies which would trap Vietnam within a
neo-colonial network. He pointed
out the process of “Doi Moi” (Renewal), with the creation of a socialist-oriented
market economy, has allowed the CPV to successfully avoid stagnation and
chart a new and innovative path in socialist construction. Since the
initiation of the “Doi Moi” reforms in 1986, Vietnam has achieved stunning
progress in raising the living standards of the Vietnamese people. Having
visited Vietnam more than six times between 2000 and 2019, Coyle said he has
seen for himself the rapid modernisation of the country. He added
that the struggle of the Vietnamese people for national liberation and
socialism has always been an inspiration for British communists, saying
despite the devastation created by the American War, the country’s heroic
people went on to build a re-united Vietnam following their victory in 1975. He pointed
to the role of the Vietnamese communists in this struggle, which enabled a
small country dominated by foreign colonialism and imperialism, and destroyed
by war, to manage not only to survive against all the odds but to enter a
period of stability and prosperity. Coyle concluded
that the CPV’s theoretical and practical contributions to the building of
socialism should be studied by all those interested in the further
development of Marxism, the stages of socialist transition, and the renewed
opportunities for socialism worldwide./. Bilingual book highlighting Vietnam-Thailand ties debuts A book in
both Vietnamese and Thai languages highlighting the 45th founding
anniversary of the Vietnam-Thailand diplomatic ties (August 6, 1976
- 2021) made its debut on August 6 . The bilingual
book was jointly compiled by Dr Truong Thi Hang, a lecturer at
Thailand’s Lampang Rajabhat University and Dr Nakorn Serirak, a lecturer at
the College of Local Administration of the Khon Kaen University. It comprises
three parts which introduce the countries’ relations before and after 1976
and highlight diplomacy dialogue, a prominent trend in the
Vietnam-Thailand ties. Speaking
with the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent, Hang hoped that the publication
will help people of Vietnam and Thailand, especially the young generation,
understand more about the bilateral relations between the two countries with
over 800 years of history, thereby strengthening the Vietnam-Thailand ties in
the future. The authors
expressed their hope that the countries will obtain more achievements in the
coming time and their cooperation and friendship will continue to develop in
a sustainable manner./. Pandemic-hit labourers, businesses get timely support Vietnamese
ministries, sectors and localities have proactively carried out 12 policies
in support of employees and employers who are facing difficulties due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social
Affairs (MoLISA). As of August
4, the social insurance agency had reviewed and informed around 375,000
employers with nearly 11.2 million employees about a decrease in the
insurance premium for occupational accidents and diseases from July 2021 to
the end of June 2022 with a total amount of about 4.3 trillion VND (187.5
million USD). At the same
time, 22 provinces and cities have implemented the policy of suspending
contributions to the Retirement and Survivorship Fund of 136 employers with
17,657 employees, with a total amount of over 108 billion VND. To date, 21
provinces and cities have paid nearly 48,000 labourers who have their work
contracts suspended or have to take no-pay leave with a total support budget
of nearly 98.3 billion VND. A total of
1,122 workers who are forced to stop working in six provinces and cities have
also received support with a total budget of over 1.4 billion VND. As of August
4, over 7,100 business households affected by the pandemic had received a
total amount of nearly 15.8 billion VND in support. The MoLISA
said that it is urging People’s Committees of provinces and cities to direct
departments and local People’s Committees to make lists of people and
businesses in need to help them get timely assistance./. Vietnam, China’s border provinces intensify cooperation in illegal
migration control Border
provinces of Vietnam and China on August 5 agreed to further step up
cooperation in verifying and returning illegal migrants during their talks
held at Quang Ninh’s Mong Cai International Border Gate. Border guard
commands of the four northern provinces of Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang and
Ha Giang, which border China’s Guangxi, met with the Chinese province’s
border control force to discuss ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19,
strengthen immigration supervision and control, combat cross-border crimes
and illegal immigration, and intensify border patrol, given that both
countries are battling the rapidly-evolving COVID-19 resurgence. Since the
outset of the pandemic early last year, the two sides have flexibly and
effectively maintained information exchange and coordination though
restrictions induced by COVID-19 forced them to restrain from direct meetings
and cancel scheduled cooperation and friendly exchange activities. The two
sides have conducted three joint border patrols, arrested 149 illegal
migration brokers who had arranged illegal entries and exits for 347
nationals of both sides, and caught nearly 11,000 people unlawfully entering
Vietnam. They have
also arrested 48 drug smugglers, seizing 273kg of synthetic drugs and over
5.4kg of heroin, contributing to maintaining order, security and safety in
the shared border areas and building a shared border of peace, friendship,
stability and development. Additionally,
the two sides have closely worked together to facilitate the entry of Chinese
diplomats, experts, investors and skilled workers into Vietnam, as well as
cross-border trade, particularly shipments of Vietnamese agricultural
products to China./. 28th ASEAN Regional Forum spotlights dialogue, responsibility,
cooperation goodwill The 28th
ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF-28) took place virtually on August 6 as part of the
54th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM 54) and Related Meetings. Minister of
Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son led the Vietnamese delegation to the forum,
which gathered representatives from 27 countries. Exchanging
views on the ARF’s future direction, participating countries reaffirmed the
importance of the ARF as a leading forum for promoting dialogue and
constructive cooperation regarding security issues in the region. They
supported the ARF in enhancing its actions and continuing to play an
important role in the regional architecture with ASEAN at the center. The meeting
approved 38 activities for 2021-2022 in such areas as peacekeeping, marine
waste, the law of the sea and fisheries, and ferry traffic safety. In
particular, Vietnam will co-chair some of them, including those on
strengthening cooperation on law enforcement at sea; security and safety
standards in the use of nuclear energy; and disease response and recovery. On
international and regional issues, the forum shared a common perception on
the importance of peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of
navigation and overflight in the East Sea. They
underscored the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of
Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and welcomed new progress in building an
effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with
international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea (UNCLOS). Speaking at
the meeting, Son said over the past three decades, ARF has proven its values
and strength in promoting dialogues, cooperation and trust building in the
region. Expressing
his concern over socio-economic impacts caused by COVID-19, the minister
called for joint efforts against the pandemic, and suggested partners in ARF,
especially countries that are taking the lead in vaccine production, continue
their cooperation with ASEAN to ensure fair and equitable vaccine access and
facilitate the transfer of vaccine production technology. For the East
Sea issue, he reiterated the principle stance of ASEAN and Vietnam, and
stressed the significance of promoting trust, exercising restraint, and
taking no actions that would complicate the situation and harm the maritime
environment. Disputes and
differences should be resolved through peaceful measures in line with
international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea (1982 UNCLOS), he said. The minister
affirmed that Vietnam will actively work with other ASEAN member countries
and China to build an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East
Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS. At the end
of the event, countries adopted a statement on promoting the youth, peace and
security agenda./. Vietnam attends ASEAN-EU Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Vietnamese
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on August 6 took part in the virtual ASEAN-EU
Foreign Ministers' Meeting as part of the 54th ASEAN Foreign Ministers'
Meeting and related meetings. Foreign Ministers
of ASEAN countries, Vice President of the European Commission and High
Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep
Borrell Fontelles and ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi attended the
meeting. Participating
countries welcomed ASEAN and the EU officially upgrading their relations to a
strategic partnership, affirming their strong commitment to promoting
cooperation on the basis of sharing common values, principles and interests,
upholding multilateral cooperation and promoting a rules-based international
order, thus making positive contributions to peace, stability and prosperity.
ASEAN agreed with the EU's proposal to hold the 45th ASEAN-EU Commemorative
Summit in Brussels, Belgium in 2022. On behalf of
ASEAN, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan of Singapore, as coordinator of
ASEAN-EU relations, affirmed that the EU has always been an important partner
of ASEAN and welcomed the positive progress in cooperation between the two
sides over the past time. The EU is the second largest investor in ASEAN with
a total capital of 7.6 billion USD and a major trade partner with a total
turnover of 258 billion USD in 2020. ASEAN
countries appreciated the EU’s implementation of the 800 million EUR Team
Europe programme to support ASEAN in disease prevention and the 20 million
EUR "Pandemic Preparedness in Southeast Asia" programme. They also
asked the EU to continue to support ASEAN's COVID-19 prevention and control
initiatives as well as coordinate to ensure access, supply, research and
development of vaccines in a safe, equitable and effective manner in the
region. Regarding
regional and international issues, ASEAN and EU countries shared the view on
the significance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of
navigation and aviation in the East Sea. They showed
their support for dialogue, building trust, exercising restraint, and taking
no actions that would complicate the situation or escalate disputes and no
militarisation, as well as settling disputes through peaceful measures, in
line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS). The
countries also backed efforts to resume negotiations towards an effective and
efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with
international law and the 1982 UNCLOS. He also
lauded the EU’s important role in global efforts in disease combat,
technological application, innovation, and promotion of multilateral trade,
economic recovery and climate change response. He suggested
the EU help ASEAN access COVID-19 vaccines in a timely fashion, consider
transferring vaccine production technology to the grouping, and assist ASEAN
to improve its vaccine self-sufficiency. As ASEAN’s
leading economic partner, the EU should enhance its coordination with the
bloc to ensure the stability of supply chain connectivity, and facilitate
two-way trade and investment, the minister said. He also
proposed the EU take into account the building of a free trade agreement with
ASEAN on the basis of FTAs between the EU and some ASEAN member countries,
including Vietnam. The 1982
UNCLOS serves as a legal foundation governing all activities at seas and
oceans, he said, stressing that rights and legitimate interests of coastal
countries defined in the document must be respected. At the end
of the meeting, the Philippines officially took over the role of coordinator
of ASEAN-EU relations during the 2021-2024 period./. NA plays important role in realising SDGs: official Head of the
National Assembly (NA) Committee for External Relations Vu Hai Ha had an
online meeting with United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General and Executive
Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
(ESCAP) Armida Salsiah Alisjabana on August 5 to discuss measures to bolster
cooperation in implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Vietnam. At the
meeting, Ha said that the NA has played an important role in promoting the
implementation of the SDGs by adopting laws and national strategies as well
as budget allocation for development programmes related to the SDGs, while
verifying and ratifying international conventions on human rights and
socio-economic matters. He
underscored that Vietnam coordinated with the International Parliamentary
Union (IPU) to adopt the Hanoi Declaration 2015 with the theme “The
Sustainable Development Goals: Turning Words into Action,” and organise many
meetings and conferences on sustainable development. Briefing the
UN official on Vietnam’s situation and progress of SDGs, Ha said that despite
adverse impacts of COVID-19, Vietnam has successfully organised a number of
important political events to complete its leadership structure and sketch
out future development orientations. Vietnam has
completed 16 out of 17 general targets and 115 out of 169 detail goals, he
said, adding that Vietnam has issued a roadmap for the implementation of the
SDGs to 2030. Currently,
the country is implementing the “twin targets” of preventing and controlling
COVID-19 and boosting economic recovery and development at the same time, ensuring
people’s livelihood and social security, he said. He noted
that last year, Vietnam was among a few countries with positive growth and is
forecast to continue to enjoy 6-6.5% of expansion in 2021. However, since
late April, the country has been hit hard by the fourth COVID-19 wave of
outbreaks due to the fast spreading of Delta variant, he added. Ha said that
the Prime Minister has issued a national Action Plan to realise the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development, with specific targets and tasks as well
as responsibility for particular ministries, sectors, agencies and
localities. He proposed
that the UN and the UNESCAP give more support to Vietnam in holding meetings,
conferences as well as personnel training to enhance the capacity of
lawmakers and NA agencies in law-making and supervision over the
implementation of SDGs, thus optimising the NA role in the process. For her
part, Armida Salsiah Alisjabana lauded the role and efforts of the Vietnamese
NA in promoting the implementation of SDGs, affirming the UNESCAP's
commitments to assisting Vietnam and the NA in realising the goals. Underscoring
that COVID-19 is threatening the completion of the SDGs in Asia-Pacific
region, she asked the Vietnamese NA to promote its role as an active member
of the IPU bodies and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), thus
connecting parliaments in hastening and supervising the process, ensuring the
effective implementation of policies regarding SDGs. GIS technology used in HCMC to combat against Covid-19 The Ho Chi
Minh City Department of Science and Technology yesterday held a virtual
meeting to introduce the solution ‘Using GIS Technology in Covid-19
Prevention and Control Tasks in District Level’. The solution is expected to
be applied in several districts in the city. In the
meeting, two pieces of GIS-related software were presented and will be run in
the 11 districts of 4, 6, 12, Binh Thanh, Tan Binh, Phu Nhuan, Go Vap, Binh
Chanh, Can Gio, Cu Chi, and Nha Be. The Center
for Applied GIS of HCMC (HCMGIS) will aid in the installation process and
training sessions so that the software mentioned will be run smoothly in the
Covid-19 fight. Before this,
Thu Duc City has already launched two applications named Thu Duc Covid
(implementing GIS in managing Covid-19 outbreak) and Thu Duc Shopping
(implementing GIS to help residents do their online shopping). They have
proved absolutely useful in the current situation of the city. Thu Duc
Covid has the main features of Covid-19 map, Covid-19 case management, space
analysis, data layer management, statistics collection and report
preparation. The
software’s analysis tools allow the evaluation of positive cases, suspected
cases, infected people in the same household, Covid-19 progress, as well as
prepare reports to send to state leaders of all levels via emails. The data
layer map help to clearly display the border of neighborhoods, wards,
centralized quarantine wards, Covid-19 treatment sites, along with updated
statistics for daily evaluation of the current Covid-19 status and the
possible spreading. Thu Duc
Shopping is developed to aid dwellers in their online shopping. It can update
information about stores and supermarkets selling essential goods, about the
available merchandise there. It can also show the optimal route to reach
those vendors. One
remarkable feature of the software is the display of gathering points for
relief items to help the poor easily obtain necessary stuff for their daily
activities. Deputy
Director of the HCMC Department of Science and Technology Chu Van Hai shared
that her department hopes to support all districts to implement more
scientific-technological products, models in the combat against Covid-19. Fresh impetus for Vietnam – Thailand relations Vietnam and
Thailand first established diplomatic ties on August 6, 1976, and their
co-operative relationship has since developed in a fruitful manner on the
back of high-level agreements reached by various senior leaders of the two
countries. Both
countries successfully boosted their relationship to the level of a strategic
partnership level during Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to
Thailand back in June 2013. They have so far signed more than 50 co-operation
agreements across various fields, whilst 13 pairs of sister localities have
also managed to establish friendly relations. The two
countries have co-operated closely and continue to support each other at
regional and international forums, especially through ASEAN and the Mekong
Sub-region co-operation mechanism. They continue to advocate for the building
of a strong, self-resilient, and united ASEAN community that possesses a common
voice in addressing a range of regional and international issues. At present,
Thailand is the ninth largest foreign investor out of 132 countries and
territories that invest in Vietnam, with a total investment capital of over
US$12.3 billion. It also represents one of the country’s largest trading
partners in Southeast Asia, with two-way trade value between both sides
reaching US$17.5 billion in 2019 and approximately US$16 billion last year. Despite the
negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening six months of this year
saw bilateral trade turnover gross roughly US$10 billion, marking an annual
rise of 27%. Both sides are working on a goal of raising their annual trade
value to US$25 billion by 2025. Thanks to
their close geographical location and convenient flight routes, the two
countries are among the group of 12 leading tourism markets for each other.
The number of Thai travelers entering Vietnam ranks 10th among foreign
tourists to the nation, and fourth among ASEAN countries. Currently,
more than 100,000 Thai people of Vietnamese origin are residing, studying,
and working in Thailand, serving as a bridge to connect the two countries.
Indeed, this community is integrating well into the local culture, while also
making a significant contribution back in their home country. During phone
talks held in May, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Thai
counterpart Prayut Chan-o-cha agreed to strengthen bilateral co-ordination as
a means of cushioning the impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with
building momentum for future co-operation. They
therefore agreed to hold the fourth Joint Cabinet meeting between Vietnam and
Thailand at an appropriate time in the future, and soon sign an Action
Programme aimed at implementing the enhanced Vietnam-Thailand Strategic
Partnership in the 2021 - 2025 period. According to
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chi Thanh, Thailand represents the
only country that Vietnam has maintained a very effective joint cabinet
meeting with. Forty-five
years have elapsed since both countries first established diplomatic ties,
the enhanced Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Thailand is becoming
increasingly extensive, effective, and substantive, creating a solid
foundation for the two countries to forge stronger relations moving forward. German hospital donates medical supplies to support Vietnam's
COVID-19 fight St. Georg
Hospital in Leipzig city of Germany's Sachsen state has decided to donate
protective gears and quick test kits worth 60,000 EUR to Vietnam to support
its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the
second time the St. Georg Hospital has presented medical equipment to
Vietnam. In a recent
working trip to Leipzig city, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Minh Vu
updated the pandemic's developments in Vietnam, especially Ho Chi Minh City
where thousands of new infections have been detected a day. The diplomat
called on the city's authorities and local agencies and organisations to
support Vietnam's efforts in the fight against the pandemic. Dr. Iris
Minde, Director of the St. Georg Hospital which received assistance from
Vietnam last year, noted that only by working together, can the pandemic be
pushed back. The hospital
immediately collected the medical supplies, including face masks, protective
gears and quick test kits from local medical establishments, hospitals and
organisations. The collection
was carried out rapidly thanks to the cooperation from the Economic Promotion
Agency and the International Cooperation Department of Leipzig. The medical
supplies will be transported to Vietnam in late August. Leipzig is
twinned with HCM City and the two sides have developed cooperative relations
in different spheres. In a related
move, the World University Service (WUS) announced on August 4 that the
second batch of relief aid including more than 203,000 quick test kits worth
598,000 EUR will be transported to Vietnam by Vietnam Airlines on August 9.
They were donated by Hessen state, Messer Group and the WUS./. HCM City targets 70% of adults vaccinated against COVID-19 by
August Ho Chi Minh
City, the largest coronavirus hotspot in Vietnam, has requested for more
COVID-19 vaccines from the Government, aiming to inoculate 70% of adults by
the end of August. The southern
metropolis requested that the Ministry of Health allocate an additional 5 –
5.5 million doses to meet the target. According to
the latest statistics, HCM City is home to roughly seven million residents
above the age of 18. To date, approximately two million shots have been given
to local people. Nearly
800,000 people have received their first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and
25,000 people given the initial shot of the Moderna vaccine, with this group
of people all needing to be injected with their second shot in late August. Given the
current context, the city needs approximately 5 - 5.5 million more COVID-19
vaccine doses to inoculate 70% of people aged 18 and above, said Duong Anh
Duc, vice chairman of the local administration. It is
anticipated that HCM City will be capable of administering over 350,000 doses
of the COVID-19 vaccine each day, providing that it receives more vaccine supply
sources, according to Duc. Currently,
the city is launching the sixth phase of its inoculation drive, with all
people above the age 18, including foreigners, living in the locality. To ramp up
this process, HCM City has established several mobile inoculation facilities
to work alongside fixed vaccination sites, with vaccinations even conducted
at night. HCM City,
the busiest and most populous locality in Vietnam, has recorded more than
112,000 locally acquired coronavirus cases, or approximately two thirds of
the country’s total, since the resurgence of the virus in late April 2021. Dong Nai grants operation permit for 145 taxis carrying people
to hospitals The
Provincial Department of Transport of Dong Nai just granted the operation
permit for 140 taxi firms of Mai Linh Dong Nai Branch, Sai Gon, Lado and Long
Thanh to serve people having demand of going to the hospital. Accordingly,
all the taxis are granted operation permits by the Department of Transport of
Dong Nai Province and the functional forces can check the identification
document via QR Code. Those taxis
are allowed to operate in case of necessity, especially to support the
medical sector, pick up and drop off the passengers from isolated and
lock-downed areas. Besides, the taxis can transport local residents from
their houses to the hospitals and vice versa. During the
journey, the taxi drivers and passengers have to strictly comply with the
Covid-19 prevention and control regulations, particularly in terms of the
number of passengers and operation areas. Of which, all the taxis must be
equipped with hand sanitizer and the drivers have to submit SARS-CoV-2 test
results. Earlier, the
Department of Transport of Dong Nai Province also issued an official letter
to allow the shippers to operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.Closed markets
for Covid-19 infectious cases to be resumed Minister of
Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has just proposed the People’s Committees
of provinces and cities under the central authority to consider the reopening
of closed traditional markets linked to the Covid-19 infectious cases under
the necessary condition of all traders must get at least one shot of vaccine. The markets
will be resumed if both management boards and small traders strictly comply
with Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control measures, follow the Health
Ministry's 5K message featuring khau trang (face masks), khu khuan
(disinfection), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings) and
khai bao y te (health declarations) during trading between buyers and
sellers. It is
necessary to make medical declarations via QR Code and check the temperature
for all people before entering the markets. Business
households are allowed to trade in essential goods according to the
regulations. Disabled man travels six days on wheelchair-motorbike to avoid
Covid-19 A disabled
man has travelled six days in his wheelchair-motorbike to return home in Phu
Yen Province after losing his job in HCM City. Tran Van
Truong, born in 1998, said he still couldn't believe that he had made it home
safely. "My whole body is aching so bad right now," he said. Truong was
paralysed after being sick as a child. Because of poverty, Truong left for
HCM City to sell lotto tickets for some income. However, because of the
pandemic, he had faced various difficulties and was unable to earn money. On
July 30, Truong decided to leave HCM City and return to Phu Yen on his
wheelchair-motorbike. Despite the
hot temperature, he didn't dare to stop anywhere for too long, fearing that
he may be positive for Covid-19. He received charity meals along the way. On
August 4, a charity group called the Phu Yen Provincial Red Cross-SOS Team to
help Truong. This is not
the first time Truong had travelled alone to his home province. Four years
ago, he was going to catch a passenger bus to go home for Tet Holiday.
Unfortunately, he lost his money along the way and travelled to Phu Yen on
his wheelchair-motorbike in eight days. After
receiving the information, Phu Yen Red Cross-SOS Team said they had arrived
to pick up Truong, helped him get tested for Covid-19 and transferred him to
the quarantine centre in Phu Yen. HCM City takes bold steps in COVID-19 response strategy Ho Chi Minh
City must ramp up efforts to provide timely treatment for patients suffering
from COVID-19 in order to minimise fatalities, according to Phan Van Mai,
deputy secretary of the municipal Party Committee. After
changing anti-pandemic measures six times, the southern city's infection
tally is starting to flatten, although the city has determined that counting
every positive cases is no longer of great significance, with greater
importance being placed on finding proper treatment methods. As a way of
preparing for the strategy aimed at limiting deaths, in mid-July the southern
metropolis ensured that available human resources and medical equipment were
moved to the area in order to give the correct treatment to severe cases as a
means of reducing the death rate as much as possible. Most
notably, the F0 treatment model has been changed with 38 treatment
facilities, providing a total of 46,000 beds in order to treat more than
41,000 cases. The local
health sector continues to expand treatment facilities and has moved to
increase its emergency reception capacity to 100%, whilst also assigning the
collection of asymptomatic F0 case to district-level medical facilities. Furthermore,
enhanced medical forces from various hospitals and localities, high-quality
personnel, along with the participation of all directors of central-level
specialised hospitals, have moved to the city as part of joint efforts to
establish more treatment systems for COVID-19 patients. The three
intensive care centres offer 3,000 beds and were established together with
the Ho Chi Minh City COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital as a means of focusing
on treating severe and critically-ill patients. According to
data released on August 4, hospitals in the city are treating F0 cases and
33,444 F0 cases, of which 1,035 critically-ill patients have been put on
ventilators and 15 patients are now receiving ECMO support. Along with
this, Ho Chi Minh City also changed its vaccination strategy in an effort to
increase coverage in the fastest manner possible, with the total number of
vaccination units increasing to 1,200, a figure that is double the original
plan. The city has
also streamlined some procedures taking place both before and after
vaccination, such as simplifying screening for people under 65 years of age
and for those suffering without underlying diseases. This serves to reduce
the follow-up time after injection from 30 minutes to 15 minutes with healthy
people. According to
Duong Anh Duc, vice chairman of the City People's Committee, currently
roughly two million local citizens have received their first shots of COVID
vaccines, while 70,000 have already got their second jab. The city has
requested the Government continuously provide vaccines to ensure that an
additional 5.5 million doses are administered in August. Local
authorities aim to inoculate all people around 18 years old, with this set to
extend throughout the entire city, which has a population of roughly at about
7 million. If the
vaccine supply and progress are ensured, then the vaccination rate for people
aged 18 and above may hit between 70% and 80% by the end of August. Deputy Prime
Minister Vu Duc Dam, who is also head of the National Steering Committee for
COVID-19 Prevention and Control, has also asked Ho Chi Minh City to focus on
treating COVID-19 patients in critical condition. At present the involvement
of various hospitals in COVID-19 treatment also ensures that important places
are given sufficient medical supplies. As of the
morning of August 5, Ho Chi Minh City documented a further 2,349 local cases
of COVID-19, raising the infection count since the start of the latest wave
of the pandemic that hit the nation more than three months ago to more than
108,000. Source:
VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes |
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét