Vaccine Diplomacy Proves Vietnam's Position in International Arena

Pfizer may launch a vaccine against the Omicron variant in March.

On September 25, 2021, a special ceremony was held at Noi Bai International Airport a few minutes after the plane carrying President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation landed. The flight marked the end of an official visit to Cuba, participation in the High-Level Session of the 76th General Assembly of the United Nations General Assembly, and implementation of bilateral activities in the United States.

It was a ceremony to receive vaccines, equipment, and medical supplies for the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic, transported to Vietnam along with the flight of the President.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang said: "One of the outstanding and practical results of the business trip is to enlist the support of the international community, especially for the Covid-19 fight.

In addition to 1.05 million doses of Cuba's Abdala vaccine, countries and partners have committed to aid and provide 1.5 million doses of vaccine to Vietnam. The US also committed to donating a large number of vaccines to Vietnam through the COVAX mechanism.

Particularly during the President's meeting with Pfizer, the company committed to delivering 31 million doses of vaccine to Vietnam in 2021, and 20 million doses of vaccine for children when there is sufficient data on efficacy and safety."

Photo: NDO

There were many similar flights carrying the mission of bringing valuable vaccines to the people of Vietnam. That is the initiative, conducting a series of vaccine diplomacy activities of Vietnam.

Last year, Vietnam's vaccine strategy and diplomacy have been implemented aggressively and methodically at all levels, especially high levels. During each business trip, vaccine diplomacy is one of the top priorities.

The call for countries, international organizations and businesses to produce and support vaccines for Vietnam has also been implemented by the Party and State leaders.

Those diplomatic efforts have yielded important results. As of December 20, 2021, the whole country has injected nearly 139.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

The Ministry of Health also said that Vietnam's vaccination rate in November 2021 ranked third in the world, just behind China and India.

Continuing the special diplomatic work

Right from the outbreak of the Covid-19, Vietnam forecasted and directed pandemic prevention and control, including a vaccine strategy, considering vaccine diplomacy as a spearhead to fight the pandemic.

As a result, only from March to mid-December 2021, Vietnam received nearly 172 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine. Most of the important partners and traditional friends have supported Vietnam with millions of doses of vaccines, and medical equipment, serving the pandemic prevention in the country.

Vaccine diplomacy is a vivid testament to the determination of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam in protecting the health of each citizen.

It also proves that ensuring the safety of people's lives and health is always a central task of Vietnam, given priority in the most difficult circumstances.

Moderna vaccine supported by the US through COVAX to Vietnam. Photo: UNICEF

Vaccines play an important role when the Government of Vietnam makes the decision to change the direction from "Zero Covid" to safe, flexible adaptation and control of the Covid-19.

To do that, the country still has a lot of work to do, including continuing vaccine diplomacy at all levels. The Government's working group on vaccine diplomacy has developed a vaccine plan by 2022. This ensures vaccine for children and booster doses for adults.

Vietnam also continues to access drugs for Covid-19 treatment, strengthen connections, and support cooperation to improve the capacity of grassroots health care.

2022 is forecasted to be a challenging year as the pandemic continues to negatively affect the world, with the emergence of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

In that context, Vietnam's vaccine diplomacy achievements will be valuable for the country to enter the new year in the hope of repelling the pandemic.

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