COVAX requested to quickly deliver COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam

During phone talks with Aurélia Nguyen, managing director of the COVAX Facility, PM Chinh highly appreciated the organisation’s role in seeking supply sources, coordinating and equally distributing COVID-19 vaccines globally, making an important contribution to joint efforts to control the virus.

As COVID-19 is a global pandemic, a global approach to vaccine and treatment drug supply is required, he said, adding that equal access to vaccines and pharmaceuticals should be given through multilateral and bilateral mechanisms.

He thanked the organisation for its valuable and meaningful support in re-allocating vaccines to Vietnam in recent times.

According to the PM, Vietnam is striving to vaccinate the entire population as quickly as possible in order to achieve herd immunity, however, vaccine shortages are preventing the country meeting the target.

He therefore suggested that the COVAX Facility speed up vaccine delivery to Vietnam from September to November this year to enable more people to get access to vaccination.

Vietnam will continue to deploy vaccination in a fast and effective manner and stay willing to provide necessary information for COVAX to soon consider allocating additional vaccines to the country, he assured Aurélia Nguyen.

He also suggested that COVAX help Vietnam borrow or buy back unused or redundant vaccines from other countries, strengthen international cooperation in vaccine and drug production, and access vaccines for children under 18.

The PM voiced Vietnam’s commitment to contribute its financial assistance to COVAX, saying it has already handed in US$500,000 and is now considering additional financial assistance to the organisation.  

Aurélia Nguyen praised Vietnam’s vaccination campaign, noting that COVAX considers Vietnam as one of the exemplary models in effectively carrying out vaccination and pandemic prevention campaigns.

She thanked Vietnam for making financial contributions to the COVAX mechanism, demonstrating its commitment to common international efforts in the fight against COVID-19.

The managing director said as vaccines are in short supply globally, COVAX faces many difficulties in ensuring adequate vaccine distribution, but she assured Chinh that her organisation will try its best to fulfill its commitments to Vietnam. In October, she revealed that COVAX will continue to distribute 85 million doses of vaccines to countries around the world, including Vietnam.

She also said COVAX is closely monitoring the progress of research on vaccines for children under 18 years of age and it will coordinate closely with Vietnam on this issue.

The female CEO also welcomed Vietnam’s foresight in research and development of its own vaccines.

She expressed her belief the Government and people of Vietnam will soon overcome the current difficult period, gradually stabilize people’s life, and develop the economy in the new normal status.