Mayor Burkhard Jung of the German city Leipzig has expressed his profound gratitude towards Ho Chi Minh City as well as Vietnamese partners for their support in supporting Leipzig in its fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

People don face masks in an attempt to halt the spread of
the COVID-19 epidemic in Leipzig on April 4. (Photo: VNA)

The German city’s St. Georg Hospital has just received 10,000 medical face masks and 1,000 pieces of protective medical equipment from HCM City’s 175 Military Hospital. The haul of items was transported for free using national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines which was in the process of carrying out a flight to return German citizens home to the European country. 

Mayor Jung stated that this challenging period serves to highlight the importance of long-term international co-operation for Leipzig with partners globally.

He displayed his sincere thanks to 175 Military Hospital, Vietnam Airlines, and other partners who have worked to create favourable conditions for medical items to safely arrive in Leipzig.

Iris Minde, director of St. Georg Hospital, expressed her delight at the items sent by the medical facility’s partners in Vietnam, adding that the two hospitals enjoy a successful co-operation relationship, with both sides working to establish a Germany-Vietnam healthcare centre to share experience and expertise with each other.

With Leipzig being twinned with Ho Chi Minh City, the two cities have developed a co-operation relationship in a range of fields following Leipzig becoming the only German city to open a representative office in the southern metropolis.

The partnership between St. Georg Hospital and 175 Military Hospital has existed for many years, serving to implement effective education and training programmes in both countries.