US presents 100 ventilators to help national fight against COVID-19
VOV.VN - The US Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) donated 100 brand-new ventilators to Vietnam on September 30 in an effort to support Vietnam’s fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The donation came following a request made by President Trump’s generous offer of these critically needed supplies, and supports Vietnam’s urgent response to the pandemic.
The ventilators, produced in the United States, reflect leading-edge and in-demand technology. They are compact, deployable, and provide Vietnam with flexibility in treating patients affected by the virus. For patients whose lungs are not working adequately despite receiving oxygen, this vital resource may prove life-saving.
“The world is impressed by Vietnam’s strategy and proactive measures in tackling COVID-19, but this serious disease remains a threat in Vietnam and the world. Building on the strong relationship between our countries over the last 25 years, the US Government is pleased to support our friends in Vietnam with this donation of ventilators to fight the coronavirus,” said US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink at the handover ceremony.
In response, Acting Minister of Health Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Long underlined the importance of the event in boosting co-operation ties between the two countries in the health sector and in deploying COVID-19 prevention activities.
Following the donation, the Ministry of Health has assigned the Central Lung Hospital to receive the ventilators and to distribute them to relevant medical units.
In addition to the ventilators, the US Government, through USAID, has committed USUS$9.5 million to Vietnam in response to the pandemic, which is helping to strengthen clinical care, disseminate health messages, build laboratory capacity, improve disease surveillance, as well as support private sector recovery by mitigating the impact of the pandemic on the Vietnamese economy.
For decades, the United States has been the world's largest provider of bilateral assistance in health. Since 2009, American taxpayers have generously funded more than US$100 billion in health assistance and nearly US$70 billion in humanitarian assistance worldwide.
In Vietnam, over the past 20 years, the United States has invested more than US$706 million in health assistance and more than US$1.8 billion in total assistance.
