Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ  NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has hammered home the importance for ViệtNam to produce its own COVID-19 vaccines and treatment medicine.

The PM was speaking at a meeting with representatives from ministries and agencies in Hà Nội on Saturday.

He regarded the “5K principle”, vaccines, treatment drugs, technologies, public awareness and other solutions as crucial factors to safely and flexibly adapt to, and effectively control, the pandemic.

The “5K principle” was issued by the Ministry of Health, covering khẩu trang (facemask), khử khuẩn (disinfection), khoảng cách (distance), không tụ tập (no gathering), and khai báo y tế (health declaration).

PM Chính applauded the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and agencies, especially scientists, researchers and producers of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs for their efforts in the past.

He called for closer coordination to remove difficulties in research as well as administrative and legal procedures, striving to produce COVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs at home.

The nation’s interests, and the public’s health and life must be the top priority, the PM emphasised.

PM Chính assigned the Ministry of Health to coordinate with other relevant ministries and agencies to review institutions to facilitate the process.

The Ministry of Health reported that as of November 25, Việt Nam had administered about 116.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with 47.4 million people fully vaccinated.

The country has engaged in technology transfer, research and trial of such vaccines as Nano Covax, COVIVAC, ARCT-154, HIPRA, Sputnik V, Shionogi and some vaccines of Cuba and India. Six factories have registered for COVID-19 treatment drug production. —VNS