A VIB representative (front, left), hands over the donation to Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long to support the Government in purchasing COVID-19 vaccines. — Photo courtesy of VIB

HÀ NỘI Vietnam International Bank (VIB) has donated VNĐ20 billion (US$860,000) to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund as part of its ongoing efforts to help the State in the battle against the pandemic.

With the donation, VIB hopes to contribute to administering free vaccines to all people in order to return life to normal as well as stabilising the local economy, the bank said in a statement.

Meanwhile, VIB is also fulfilling necessary procedures to purchase 10,000 doses of vaccine for its staff under the allocation of the Ministry of Health, it added.

Previously in 2020, VIB set aside VNĐ10 billion for purchasing medical equipment, face masks and protective gear for frontline doctors and staff. It also donated VNĐ500 million to help prevent and control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic through the State Bank's union.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Việt Nam, VIB was one of the first local banks to offer loan packages for affected customers with a preferential interest rate of up to 2 per cent.

By the end of May 2021, the bank had restructured outstanding loans of over VNĐ3.95 trillion, while slashing lending rates by between 0.5 per cent and 2 per cent for 8,380 clients with most of them affected by the pandemic.

VIB said it is developing appropriate loan packages for each group of clients depending on the specific circumstances.

“VIB believes that with the close, drastic and consistent direction of the Government and the State Bank of Việt Nam together with the consensus of all departments, organisations and local people, we will gain more positive achievements in preventing and controlling COVID-19, thus helping the country stamp out the pandemic," a representative of the bank said

To date, the entire banking industry has spent over VNĐ1.3 trillion to support the prevention of COVID-19. Of the sum, about VNĐ700 billion was donated to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund. — VNS