Health Minister Nguyễn Thanh Long and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, who was on a trip to Việt Nam, visit some of the freezers donated by Australia to help Việt Nam's vaccination efforts. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese Health Ministry on Tuesday received 1,190 freezers, five million syringes and 50,000 safety boxes as part of the Australian Government and UNICEF’s efforts to support Việt Nam’s COVID-19 vaccination drive.

Health Minister Nguyễn Thanh Long, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Australian Ambassador to Việt Nam Robyn Mudie, and UNICEF Việt Nam Representative Rana Flowers took part in the handover ceremony at the National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hà Nội.

Long thanked the Australian Government and people as well as the UN children’s fund for the valuable support.

“In the times of pandemic, the Australian Government has continuously implemented its commitments with regards to supplies of COVID-19 vaccines and medical supplies to Việt Nam and other countries in the Asia-Pacific via an agreement with UNICEF and its Vaccine Access and Health Security Initiative,” the Vietnamese health chief said at the ceremony.

He also expressed gratitude for Australia’s donation of 5.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, including 1.5 million doses of made-in-Australia AstraZeneca that have been shipped to Việt Nam in previous months, in addition to the 3.7 million doses that the country purchased via UNICEF.

The vaccines hold significant meaning for Việt Nam as the whole political system and entire people of Việt Nam are striving to contain the spread of COVID-19 in this challenging period.

The Ministry of Health of Việt Nam is committed to distributing these vaccines and medical supplies to units and localities based on the local situation and ensuring appropriate and effective use.

The Australia-UNICEF A$13.5 million package, launched in April this year, is meant to help Việt Nam purchase cold chain equipment to store and transport vaccine doses to where they are needed around the country, provide training courses and materials to ensure Việt Nam’s health workers and officials are ready, and assist with the development of immunisation plans in Việt Nam’s remote provinces to ensure equitable and uniform vaccine coverage, according to the Australian ambassador Robyn Mudie. — VNS