US, China donate ventilators, masks to Vietnam to respond to COVID-19

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The US government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), delivered a donation of 100 respiratory ventilators to Vietnam to assist with its national response to COVID-19. Photo: US embassy

This donation delivers on US President Donald Trump’s offer of these critically needed supplies and supports countries’ urgent response to the pandemic.

The ventilators, produced in the United States, are compact and deployable and can support both invasive and non-invasive applications, which will give Vietnam flexibility in treating patients affected by the virus.

They can also be used to provide non-invasive respiratory therapy for patients before they become critically ill and help avoid the need for more extreme care. In addition, these ventilators can help treat a number of other respiratory ailments outside of the COVID-19 virus, including pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The total value of non-refundable ODA is worth more than USD 1.7 million. The Vietnam's Ministry of Health will distribute to central hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to these ventilators, the US Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), pledges to provide USD 9.5 million to Vietnam in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to help improving clinical care, disseminating health messages, strengthening laboratory capacity, improving epidemiological surveillance, as well as supporting private sector recovery by mitigating the financial impacts of the pandemic on Vietnamese economy.

The handover event in Hanoi was attended by US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink, USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Michael Greene, Acting Minister of Health Dr. Nguyen Thanh Long and National Lung Hospital Director Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung.

At the ceremony, Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink said, “The world is impressed with Vietnam's strategy and proactive solutions in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic, this serious epidemic is still a threat to Vietnam and to the world. The United States appreciates Vietnam's assistance for the US's fight against COVID-19. The assistance builds upon the strong relationship between our two countries over the past 25 years."

Acting Minister of Health Dr. Nguyen Thanh Long assessed this as an important event marking the Vietnam-US cooperation cooperation in the field of health as well as COVID-19 combat. The Ministry of Health assigned the National Lung Hospital to receive, distribute and use of these ventilators.

Chinese ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo (L) and Vietnamese Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long at the signing recemony. Photo: Ministry of Health

The Chinese government has donated a shipment of 320,000 medical masks to Vietnam to help the country prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the community.

A document to this effect was signed in Hanoi on September 29 between Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo and Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long.

Addressing the signing ceremony, Minister Long thanked the Chinese government for its aid and hoped both sides will increase the sharing of experience in combating COVID-19, as well as healthcare cooperation to benefit their peoples.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Xiong noted China has made progress in COVID-19 prevention and control, and it is ready to share experience in the field with other countries.

After COVID-19 vaccines are successfully produced in China, the government of China will prioritise supplying the products to developing countries and ASEAN member states, said Xiong.

Minister Long congratulated China on the progress it has made in vaccine production and expressed Vietnam’s desires to cooperate with China in the field in the coming time./.

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