The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam gave 64 Doppler fetal monitors and personal protective equipment worth US$300,000 on January 7 as part of efforts to help ensure quality in sexual and reproductive healthcare services in flood-affected provinces amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the handover ceremony, Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam, expressed her appreciation for the pandemic containment efforts implemented by the Government, with the nation witnessing only 1,505 infections, including 35 fatalities, since the initial cases were detected nearly a year ago.

At present, the pandemic is developing in a complex manner globally and locally, with pregnant women, new-borns, and young children being among the most vulnerable to the wide-ranging impact caused by the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Due to anxiety surrounding possible COVID-19 infection at medical clinics, many women have decided to postpone or cancel pre-natal check-ups and related tests, Kitahara warned.

Phan Le Thu Hang, deputy head of the Health Ministry’s Planning and Finance Department, stated that the ministry appreciates UNFPA’s assistance, affirming that the Government priotise protecting the health of citizens, particularly pregnant women who inhabit ethnic minority areas and disaster-affected regions.