Vietnam provides medical supplies to assist Laos combat COVID-19
VOV.VN - The nation handed over financial aid and medical supplies to Laos in order to assist the neighbouring country in its ongoing fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) during at a ceremony held on the morning of May 4 at Wattay International Airport in the Laotian capital of Vientiane.
In total, the assistance consisted of US$500,000 in financial aid, along with a range of medical supplies, including two million medical face masks, 200 ventilators, and 10 tonnes of the disinfectant Chloramine B.
The same day saw a Vietnam Airlines flight depart from Hanoi carrying 35 Vietnamese experts who will help their Laotian counterparts to combat COVID-19.
To mark the occasion, the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Committee, and the Government Office of Vietnam, presented their partners from Laos with 50,000, 500,000, and 20,000 medical masks, respectively.
During the course of the handover ceremony, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung expressed the sympathies of the both Vietnamese leaders and citizens for the difficulties and challenges faced by Laos in terms of COVID-19 prevention and control.
Deputy Minister Dung went on to affirm Vietnamese belief that the clear-sighted and drastic leadership of the Laotian Party and State, along with the resolve of relevant agencies and people, will see Laos contain the COVID-19 outbreak, recover its economy and society, whilst continuing to develop sustainably.
Upon congratulating the country on its significant achievements in the COVID-19 fight, Lao Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune expressed his appreciation for the valuable assistance provided by the Vietnamese Party, State, and people.
The Laotian Deputy PM went on to describe the aid as a meaningful and timely contribution to his nation’s efforts to combat the pandemic and also a source of support for health workers and patients.
Deputy PM Khaykhamphithoune, who is also head of Laos’ central committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, also stressed that Vietnam was the first country to provide financial, personnel, and material support amid the latest outbreak. Indeed, this strongly reflects the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive co-operation that exists between both sides.
The ceremony on May 4 also saw the Vietnamese education group Van Lang deliver 100 ventilators to Laos as part of a programme aimed at providing medical supplies for Laos and Cambodia in the COVID-19 combat.
Moving forward, a further 800 ventilators will be sent to Cambodia, according to the Ministry of Health, with ventilator production being funded by the Van Lang and Van Thinh Phat groups.
