Vietnamese Cambodians receive relief aid amidst COVID-19
Dozens of tonnes of essential goods, including food and medical supplies, have been allocated to Vietnamese Cambodians over the past week amidst the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia.
The relief aid, contributed by agencies and organisations in Vietnam’s provinces bordering Cambodia like Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, An Giang and Dong Thap, have also come to those working on the frontline against COVID-19 in the neighbouring country.
They included rice, canned fish, face masks and disinfectants, according to the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia.
The Khmer-Vietnamese Association’s chapters in Kratie, Mondunkiri and Tbong Khmum also received and delivered the relief aid to 1,056 households in these provinces.
In Kampong Chhnang which is home to the largest number of Vietnamese Cambodians, the community support fund of the embassy on April 10 handed over three tonnes of rice and 500 kg of essential goods to the Khmer-Vietnamese Association’s chapter in the province to assist Vietnamese Cambodians there.
The association is working hard to help Vietnamese Cambodians soon get access to COVID-19 vaccines.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Cambodia Representative Office has warned that Cambodia is now standing on the brink of a national tragedy due to COVID-19 despite efforts to control the pandemic.
WHO said Cambodia has reached another critical point amid a sudden and huge surge in community transmission cases and deaths.
New cases occur every day, and unless the country can stop the outbreak, its health system is at high risk of being overwhelmed, which could have disastrous consequences, said WHO Representative to Cambodia Li Ailan.
She also commended a series of anti-COVID-19 measures taken by the government, including an inter-provincial travel ban and nighttime curfew, to break the chain of transmission.
The representative also suggested that people stay home during the Khmer New Year holiday (from April 14 to 16) to minimise risks of infection.
