Health staff take samples for COVID-19 testing for residents in Thanh Hoá Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has called on the nation to do everything necessary to protect the most vulnerable against COVID-19 and reduce the number of deaths related to the virus.

The PM signed Official Dispatch 1815/CD-TTg dated December 26, 2021 on the management and protection of people at high risk of contracting COVID-19; reducing severe cases and deaths due to COVID-19.

The PM asked ministries and localities to follow a number of requests to ensure effective management and monitoring of public health, early detection of COVID-19 cases and reduce the number of severe cases and COVID-19 related deaths. 

Cases nationwide have increased, along with the number of severely ill patients and deaths in particularly in high-risk groups like people over 50 years of age, pregnant women, those with underlying health conditions and the unvaccinated.

The Prime Minister has called on localities to implement strict management of these high-risk groups by collecting data and analysing their need for support.

He also urged medical teams to go door-to-door to identify those who have not been vaccinated and arrange inoculations, especially for those people with mobility difficulties.

Localities should also organise care and treatment for people with COVID-19 in high-risk groups and carry out isolation and monitoring at home or at a treatment facility according to their conditions.

Regarding the Ministry of Health, the PM asked for quick and adequate distribution of vaccines to localities.

The ministry must also drastically and urgently guide and create favourable conditions for units, localities and enterprises to import, transfer technology, and manufacture drugs to treat COVID-19 sufferers.

It should also reduce and simplify administrative procedures, ensuring the principle of speed, science and efficiency; and at the same time take measures to strictly control quality, price and combat all manifestations and acts of abuse for corruption, group interests.

The ministry is asked to promptly update and guide treatment regimens in accordance with the disease developments and the actual conditions.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall closely coordinate with the Ministry of Health and city and provincial people's committees to come up with drastic, reasonable, scientific, effective and specific solutions so that no shortage of medical oxygen supply in hospitals and medical facilities occurs.

The MoIT is also responsible for directing associations, manufacturing and distribution enterprises to increase production and supply of medical oxygen for timely and effective COVID-19 disease prevention and control. — VNS