Approximately 90 Vietnamese and Canadian delegates attended a teleconference on July 7, sharing Vietnam’s experience in fighting against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A propaganda poster is erected at major traffic points in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) 

The event was jointly organsised by the Canada-Vietnam Society (CVS) and the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association.

Thomas Alexander, a Canadian education consultant, who had lived in Ho Chi Minh City during the COVID-19 epidemic, noted how impressed he was by the Vietnamese leaders’ vision to tackle the epidemic.

According to the consultant, both local residents and foreigners were at first doubtful about drastic measures, including social distancing and travel restrictions, the government had introduced to contain the epidemic. However, they later realized these measures had proved effective, helping keep the epidemic under control.

The event saw Associate Professor Dr. Tran Xuan Bach from the Hanoi Medical University introduce Canadian friends to the inter-sectoral co-operation that he said was key to COVID-19 containment efforts in the country.

Dr. Vu Ngoc Long, Deputy Head of Infectious Disease Control Department under the Ministry of Health, provided Canadian delegates with an overview of Vietnamese COVID-19 prevention methods, noting that July 7 marking 82 consecutive days without any locally-transmitted cases and keeping the record of zero fatalities. In contrast, Canada had reported a total of 106,167 COVID-19 cases as of July 7, including 8,711 fatalities.

Elizabeth McIninch, member of the CVS Executive Board, underscored the importance of Vietnam’s role as Canada's largest development partner in Southeast Asia, with Ho Chi Minh City representing one of the most important hubs for startups globally.

She went on to point out that Vietnam has high demand for several fields which are Canada's strengths, including clean technology, agricultural technology, food processing, public transportation, road infrastructure, and renewable energy.

McIninch explained that the new-generation free trade agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, will serve as a driving force for future co-operation between the two countries.

Moreover, the CVS representative voiced her optimism that despite challenges caused by the pandemic, there remains bright prospects for co-operation between the two countries in the near future.

To mark the occasion, the Canada-Vietnam Society donated 2,000 CAD to the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases each.

The donation was raised by members of the overseas Vietnamese living in Canada for the purpose of helping to support frontline doctors in Vietnam in the COVID-19 battle.