The World Health Organization (WHO) will send experts to assist Viet Nam in vaccine search and production meeting international standards. 

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the statement during his phone conversation with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on June 24.

Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific also joined the conversation.

In the atmosphere of cordiality, openness, goodwill and mutual understanding, both sides frankly discussed on a wide range of issues to strengthen Viet Nam-WHO cooperation in healthcare protection and COVID-19 prevention and control, particularly vaccine issue.

PM Pham appreciated cooperation and valuable assistance from the WHO for the development of Viet Nam’s healthcare sector over the past 45 years.

He reiterated the Southeast Asian country’s advocacy for global cooperation efforts and spoke highly of the role of the WHO and Director-General Tedros in coordinating international cooperation in disease prevention and control, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and in ensuring fair, equitable, and timely access to COVID-19 vaccine across the globe.

Pham emphasized that Viet Nam has gained initial positive outcomes in pursuing its dual goal of COVID-19 containment and economic recovery with assistance and cooperation of the international community and the WHO, as well as support and engagement of Vietnamese people.

He asked the WHO to ensure the delivery of the next batches of COVID-19 vaccines as committed under the COVAX facility, and support Viet Nam to become one of the vaccine production hubs in the Western Pacific region.

Tedros highly valued Viet Nam’s success in realizing the dual goal, especially the country proactive, creative and flexible measures, the drastic leadership of the Government, and the involvement of the whole political system in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, thus making Viet Nam an effective anti-pandemic model.

He spoke highly of Viet Nam’s assistance to international friends in the fight against the pandemic and its commitment to contribute US$500,000 to the COVAX facility – a global risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

Tedros said he especially felt moved as Viet Nam had received and successfully treated a staff member of the United Nations who was infected with COVID-19./.