Nguyễn Huy Dũng, director-general of the General Department of Information, under the Ministry of Information and Communications, talks to Hà Nội Mới (New Hà Nội) newspaper on IT application in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What’s the role of the Ministry of Information and Communications in the fight against the coronavirus?

Right after the first case of COVID-19 infection was confirmed in Việt Nam, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) called on all technological agents in the information technology community to work together in the fight against COVID-19.

The MoIC ordered the telecommunication sector to ensure good communication between hospitals and other medical establishments to give good service in the fight against COVID-19. Meanwhile, the communications sector was ordered to provide comprehensive information about the pandemic to the public to help them know how to avoid catching the virus.

Right after the first case of SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in Việt Nam, the MOIC instructed the mass media and related agencies to help fight COVID-19 to keep life going on normally in all corners of the country while continuing to develop IT technology to contribute to the country’s socio-economic development.

What practical applications have been introduced by IT enterprises following the call by the MoIC?

We have more than 20 applications and information technology systems which are being used in the fight against COVID-19. The most notable application is the Việt Nam Health Declaration for people entering Việt Nam and the Bluezone Community Protection application.

In the fight against COVID-19, the IT technology developed by our Vietnamese IT specialists was first used in Việt Nam. By now, quite a few countries have asked Việt Nam to share with them its experiences in the fight against COVID-19, particularly its IT.

As of May 2, two months following the release of the NCOVI application, some 16.4 million people have filled in their health declaration on the application.

What do you think about the strengths of Vietnamese IT enterprises?

Vietnamese IT enterprises have very big potential for development. IT has been widely introduced in almost all aspects of life in the country, including the health care sector, economic activities and others.

In the fight against the coronavirus, patients don’t have to go to health clinics for health examinations, they can stay at home and get their health check-ups online from doctors.

The year 2020 has been defined as a year for Việt Nam to change to a digital nation. What does that mean?

The Ministry of Information and Communications has completed a draft programme for Việt Nam to change to a digital nation from now till 2025 and plan toward 2030. On April 24, the MoIC submitted the draft programme to Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc for approval.

The programme lists six groups of missions and solutions which will serve as a foundation for Việt Nam to build a digital government, a digital economy and a digital society. — VNS