Vietnam's response to Covid-19 has become a model.

A decisive and effective effort to push back the pandemic.

Speaking on behalf of international organizations at the online conference summarizing COVID-19 prevention and control efforts with localities, organized by the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on October 29th, Dr. Angela Pratt - Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam - congratulated Vietnam on its very decisive and effective response efforts to repel the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam has controlled both the number of deaths and new cases thanks to the implementation of a series of timely and effective social and public health measures.

According to Dr. Angela Pratt, after Vietnam gained access to the Covid-19 vaccine, it launched an emergency vaccination campaign, including efforts to make the vaccine accessible to everyone in the country.

WHO is proud to be a partner in supporting these efforts, along with other partners such as UNICEF. This vaccine rollout campaign has paved the way for reopening.

"Vietnam has also experienced the strongest economic recovery in the region, and its response to Covid-19 has become a model for many countries in many aspects," emphasized the WHO Representative in Vietnam.

Event - Vietnam's response to Covid-19 has become a model. — Dr. Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Vietnam, congratulated Vietnam on its very decisive and effective response efforts (Photo: VGP).

At the same time, she reiterated some of the most outstanding aspects of Vietnam's response to Covid-19, namely: the capacity for early detection of infections, investigation, contact tracing, and rapid response; the effective combination of border closures, quarantine, and lockdowns; the dedicated and highly qualified medical staff with a patriotic spirit; the efforts to obtain vaccines and the rapid deployment of the vaccination campaign; the enthusiastic participation of the entire society in the response; and most importantly, the leading role of the Government and the National Steering Committee, as well as the Steering Committees at the local level.

"On behalf of WHO, I would like to express my appreciation to the Government of Vietnam, including the Ministry of Health, as well as healthcare workers, businesses, the community, and partners," shared the WHO Representative in Vietnam.

On May 10, 2023, the WHO declared an end to the public health emergency due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and Vietnam also reclassified Covid-19 from a Group A to a Group B infectious disease.

6 areas recommended by WHO

However, according to Dr. Angela Pratt, we cannot be completely at ease yet, as Covid-19 continues to spread and new variants emerge, and there are still outbreaks of infection.

Therefore, Dr. Angela Pratt mentioned six areas that the WHO recommends focusing on in the coming period:

First, Covid-19 has highlighted the fragility and inequalities in the global supply chain for medicines and vaccines, as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh mentioned in his opening remarks.

Countries like Vietnam are more vulnerable, so we need to ensure the readiness, timeliness, and reliability of the supply of medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic equipment, including domestic production, and the transfer of MRA vaccine technology.

Secondly, any country's ability to detect outbreaks early will determine its global response capacity. We need to ensure an effective and sustainable surveillance system for Covid-19 and other respiratory pathogens to be able to trace subsequent variants.

Thirdly, we need to integrate Covid-19 vaccination into the routine immunization system, focusing on the highest-risk groups, in line with recent expert recommendations.

Next, it is necessary to maintain a system of information exchange and close engagement with the community. This is extremely important to prevent misinformation, as some delegates have pointed out today; it is essential to equip all citizens with the necessary knowledge to protect themselves and their families.

Building an efficient and transparent healthcare system is essential for responding to medical emergencies.

Event - Vietnam's response to Covid-19 has become a model (Figure 2). — It is necessary to integrate Covid-19 vaccination into the routine immunization system (Photo: Huu Thang).

"All of this requires sustained strong government leadership – a crucial element in ensuring we apply the lessons learned from the Covid-19 response and enhance our future response capabilities. Vietnam can rest assured that the WHO will always stand alongside Vietnam in all areas," emphasized Dr. Angela Pratt.

At the global level, WHO member states are negotiating a new agreement to prepare for a pandemic response. According to Dr. Angela Pratt, the WHO encourages Vietnam to continue contributing to the global discussion, drawing on its experience in combating Covid-19.

At the regional level, member states have also adopted the new Asia-Pacific Health Security Action Framework to guide collective action across the region.

At the national level, the WHO Office in Hanoi will continue to coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant partners to support Vietnam, including reviewing and updating the pandemic response plan for government approval based on the national pandemic forum. "This is the right time for us to strengthen our national, regional, and global health systems for the future. The WHO will always stand alongside Vietnam now and in the future in a spirit of cooperation for a safer and healthier Vietnam," Dr. Angela Pratt stated .

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