Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (middle) chairs an online meeting with 20 cities and provinces under social distancing across the country on Sunday. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Sunday asked authorities at the grassroots levels to set clear goals in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and develop thorough agendas to achieve them.

He made the statement at an online meeting between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control with 20 provinces and cities under social distancing across the country.

The meeting aimed to emphasise the importance of bottom-level authorities in controlling COVID-19 in accordance with the PM’s order in official dispatches No 1099 and 1102, which is treating each commune, ward, town, factory and enterprise as ‘a fortress’, each resident ‘a soldier’ to fight the pandemic.

In attendance were Deputy Prime Ministers Lê Minh Khái, Lê Văn Thành and Vũ Đức Đam, National Assembly vice chair Nguyễn Khắc Định, ministers, and leaders of concerned central organisations.

Apart from top local leaders in the 20 cities and provinces, grassroots level officials in 1,060 communes, wards and towns under their jurisdiction also took part in the meeting.

They discussed their experience controlling the pandemic and the lessons learned through the process, identify limitations, and propose improvements for the future.

Speaking at the meeting, PM Chính said he highly valued the efforts made by different sectors to fight COVID-19, including State-owned agencies, businesses, and especially those on the front line. 

However, as the pandemic was still going strong and unpredictably, not only in Việt Nam but around the world, everyone needed to be prepared and adjust to the ever-changing conditions, he said. 

He asked local authorities, especially those in communes, wards and towns, to identify COVID-19 prevention goals and action plans suitable for their localities so that the expected outcomes outlined by the Government's Decree No 86 would be achieved, and social distancing lifted.

Measures that were not effective must be reviewed and adjusted, and new solutions developed if needed, he added.

"We have made sacrifices implementing social distancing, so we at least need to make sure that our goals to contain the pandemic are met," he said.

He asked localities to strictly comply with directives and decrees on COVID-19 prevention and control issued by the Party and the Government since the beginning of the pandemic.

Applying social distancing is to prevent the disease from spreading further, so it must be strictly applied under tight control. Meanwhile, quick testing and vaccination must also be carried out in accordance with safety regulations from the Ministry of Health, he said.

Each ward, commune and town must have a hotline number available 24 hours a day that people can reach whenever they need, he added. Local authorities should know their residents and provide them with material and mental support if needed.

Residents should have access to medical treatment at the earliest time possible and from the grassroots levels, which would help reduce pressure for major hospitals and health facilities. Modern and traditional medical practices should work together to reduce severe patients and deaths.

The Government leader also asked local authorities to ensure social security for the people, and encourage them to comply with pandemic control regulations. 

Localities with high population density should think of ways to temporarily move people to places with less population to ensure their safety, he said.

PM Chính stressed that the country was going in the right direction with the right measures to fight the pandemic, but should limitations arise during the implementation process, they should be thoroughly reviewed and improved. — VNS