Mark Tattersall, Chargé d'Affaires at the Australian Embassy in Việt Nam, hands over medical equipment donated by the Australian Department of Defence to Major General Nguyễn Hùng Thắng, Deputy Chairman and Chief of the Staff of the ministry’s General Department of Logistics. — Photo qdnd.vn

HÀ NỘI — Medical equipment donated by the Australian Department of Defence for Việt Nam’s COVID-19 prevention and control was handed over to the Ministry of National Defence at a ceremony in Hà Nội on Wednesday. 

The equipment includes a Xenios extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) system, dialysis machines, and oxygen generators.

Speaking at the event, Major General Nguyễn Hùng Thắng, Deputy Chairman and Chief of the Staff of the ministry’s General Department of Logistics, said the donation is important for pandemic prevention work, helping treat severe patients more effectively and strengthening the capacity of the Vietnamese army in response to COVID-19.

Highlighting Australia’s assistance for Việt Nam since the beginning of the pandemic via providing vaccines, guidance materials, and experiences, among others, he said it demonstrates the effective cooperation between the two countries in general and their militaries in particular.

Thang said he hopes the countries will further beef up their joint works in military medicine and the COVID-19 fight.

Mark Tattersall, Chargé d'Affaires at the Australian Embassy in Việt Nam, stated the Vietnamese ministry is an important partner of Australia and has played a key role in Việt Nam’s response to COVID-19 over the past three years.

Australia is proud to cooperate with and support the Vietnamese Government in fighting the pandemic, he said, adding that his country has so far transferred more than 22.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including 14.4 million doses for Việt Nam’s vaccination campaign for children.

The diplomat stressed Australia will stand side by side with Việt Nam in its efforts for pandemic prevention and control.

Considering defence-security cooperation a pillar in the nation’s strategic partnership, Tattersall said it is expanding across fields including peacekeeping, English language training, delegation exchange, military medical exchange, and COVID-19 response, expressing his hope such ties will thrive in the time to come. — VNS