Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam, said on December 8 that the Vietnamese Government’s quick and effective response in combination with the public’s trust and observance of prevention and control measures were key to the country’s success in containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam

She made the comments at a workshop held by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to release a report on people’s awareness and experience of the COVID-19 prevention and control measures adopted by authorities at both the central and local levels.

Wiesen expressed her belief that lessons in regard to transparency, accountability, and social cohesion will help the Vietnamese Government deal with future crises and challenges of public concern.

David Gottlieb, Counsellor for Economic and Development Cooperation at the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, said he was impressed by Vietnam’s resolve to control the pandemic.

With financial support and cooperation from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the UNDP and the Mekong Development Research Institute conducted a survey on people’s awareness and experience of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, on which the report was based.

Ninety-six percent of respondents spoke highly of the efforts of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, while nearly 94% thought similarly of the efforts of city and provincial authorities.

Nearly 99% said they wore masks when going out during the peak of the pandemic and 93% washed their hands regularly.

The service sector and people working in the unofficial labour sector or belonging to poor or near-poor groups were hardest hit.

24% of respondents lost their jobs, while 65% had their salary cut.
A total of 1,334 people were randomly selected for the survey, which was conducted in September.