Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chaired the Government's regular meeting on Friday morning.— Photo baochinhphu.vn

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has instructed ministries and localities not to be negligent and to remain ready to fight against the pandemic. 

Chính gave the order as he chaired a meeting at Government headquarters to assess the socio-economic development situation in January, and point out tasks and solutions for February and the rest of the year.

The meeting also focused on measures to prevent and control the pandemic and maintain social order to ensure a safe and joyful Tết holiday.

Ministries, sectors and localities must effectively implement Conclusion 25 of the Politburo, which focuses on implementing targets of socialisation of resources for pandemic prevention; private medical facilities participating in the care and treatment of COVID-19 patients; and increasing medical stations and medical staff according to population size, he said.

The localities and relevant agencies have to consistently follow regulations on “safe and flexible adaptation and effective control over the COVID-19 pandemic” and building a monitoring and evaluation system, he said.

Moreover, agencies are tasked with strengthening forecasting and fully preparing human and material resources to deal with developments of the pandemic, he said.

Chính said they must deploy a safe, scientific and effective vaccination campaign in the spring, speeding up vaccination for children and completing the booster dose for people 18 years of age and older in the first quarter of this year.

It is necessary to prepare drugs, vaccines and essential medical supplies and to promote research, development and technology transfer for domestic production of vaccines, therapeutic drugs, medical equipment and biological products, he said.

Treatment capacity must also be improved to reduce the risk of severe complications or death from COVID-19, he said.

Plans must be made to set up mobile medical stations in areas where the pandemic showed more complex developments, he said.

The Ministry of Health is tasked with completing regulations and treatment regimes, as well as effectively organising the monitoring, care and treatment of COVID-19 patients in accordance with the new situation, ensuring the COVID-19 patients are fully provided with appropriate healthcare, he said.

Also at the meeting, Chính said the localities have to coordinate with the Government to create favourable conditions for the people returning to their home-towns to celebrate Tết, to make up for the difficulties and losses they suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The localities must not prevent local people from returning to their home-town to celebrate Tết, Chính said.

Other tasks

“Besides, there are many things that must be done right after the Tết holidays,” he said.

“We must not let January be a month of relaxing,” he said.

Chính tasked relevant ministries and localities with focusing on the care of people with meritorious services, from poor and disadvantaged households, social protection beneficiaries and people facing difficulties due to the pandemic.

Junior Government officials and local authorities must not offer gifts to their superiors or central Government authorities for Tết and not attend festivals if not assigned; not participate in superstitious activities; not use the State budget, vehicles and public property in contravention of regulations for festival and entertainment activities, he said.

Besides, Chính promoted a practical and effective "Tree-planting Festival" associated with forest protection and development plans.

Ministries, sectors and localities have to speed up the disbursement of public investment capital from the beginning of the year so it does not accumulate until the end of the year.

Ministerial-level agencies and agencies under the Government are assigned to coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Justice to urgently finalising the draft decrees on functions, tasks, powers and organisational structure and submit them to the Government for consideration and promulgation in the first quarter of this year, he said.

Chính requested relevant ministries to review and promptly remove obstacles in production and business, especially investment activities, to ensure the supply of raw materials and the circulation of goods do not disrupt the production and business activities; effectively handle obstacles arising in the import and export of goods, especially the congestion of agricultural products for export across the border with China.

The Ministry of Finance is told to coordinate with relevant agencies to urgently propose solutions to issue regulations on securities market management, ensuring transparency and preventing acts of profiteering, he said.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism have to carefully study and soon propose a plan to open the door to international tourists in accordance with the pandemic situation as well as strengthen the dissemination of "safe Việt Nam tourism".

The Ministry of Education and Training is assigned to work with the Health Ministry to issue regulations on criteria for school opening to bring students back to school and organise drills to handle cases of COVID-19 infection at schools and classrooms. — VNS