Chairing the meeting, head of the general department Lieutenant General Tran Minh Duc commended the contributions by the military medical team involved in the earthquake recovery in Myanmar.

He emphasised that the military medical force and the Vietnam People's Army delegation joined the international community to help the people of Myanmar swiftly address consequences and minimise the damage caused by the devastating earthquake. This effort exemplifies international solidarity, the humanitarian spirit of the Vietnamese people, and the noble qualities of the Vietnamese military, while also enhancing Vietnam's reputation and standing on the global stage.

Following the mission to assist Turkey in earthquake recovery in 2023, this marks the second time that the military medical force of the Vietnam People's Army has participated in international disaster relief efforts, with a substantial number of personnel and equipment deployed.

Duc said that the Vietnamese team carried out their duties under challenging and dangerous conditions, which significantly impacted their health. However, they worked hard to overcome these difficulties and dedicated themselves to the mission.

Activities of the military medical force were praised by the international community, particularly their sense of responsibility, proactivity, and professionalism, he said.

Lieutenant Colonel Lai Ba Thanh from Military Hospital 103 under the Military Medical Academy, who also led the military medical team on the mission in Myanmar, said that the Vietnamese medical team collaborated with other forces to locate 32 victim sites and directly conducted searches at 20 locations, recovering 21 bodies and respectfully handing them over to the victims' families in the presence of local residents and foreign rescue teams. They also worked with Turkish and Myanmar rescue forces to save a 26-year-old man.

In addition to rescue, the team engaged in humanitarian activities, providing medical examinations and medication to hundreds of local residents amid the devastation of hospitals in Myanmar's capital, which faced severe shortages of medical supplies, he added.

Vietnam works with Myanmar on further earthquake rescue operations

Myanmar’s Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief, and Resettlement on April 3 held a working session with the Vietnamese rescue delegation to exchange information and formulate plans for the next phase of earthquake-related search and rescue operations in the disaster-hit nation.