A delegation from the UN, WHO and the Vietnamese health ministry visited communities affected by Typhoon Yagi in Bát Xá District from June 3 to 4. Photos courtesy of Australian Embassy in Vietnam

LÀO CAI — A high-level delegation, including UN agencies, partners, and Ministry of Health officials, traveled to communities in Bát Xát District, Lào Cai, this week to evaluate the impact of international aid on recovery efforts after Typhoon Yagi.

From June 3-4, representatives from UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women, WHO, and the Australian Embassy in Hà Nội – a key financial supporter of UN recovery programs – engaged directly with affected populations.

The mission focused on understanding community needs, witnessing the progress in restoring vital services, and renewing their collective commitment to a comprehensive recovery process that champions dignity, inclusion, and resilience.

Deputy Ambassador of the Australia Embassy Renee Deschamps said “Australia is proud to have responded swiftly to Việt Nam’s request for assistance, providing AUD4 million in humanitarian assistance to support communities affected by Typhoon Yagi.”

“Our focus is on helping the most vulnerable — women, children, ethnic minorities, and people living with disabilities. We are committed to supporting a sustainable recovery, so the communities can rebuild not just their homes, but also their livelihoods, health, and futures,” she said.

The delegation and ethnic communities in Bát Xát.

WHO Representative Dr Angela Pratt said “It is great to see for ourselves how WHO’s assistance is part of the restoration of essential health services and ongoing monitoring for potential disease outbreaks.”

“This visit helped us better understand the community’s health needs, which we are keen to support in any way we can. We are also focused on helping enhance the resilience of health-care facilities, as climate change is sure to bring more extreme weather in the future,” she said.

Hoàng Quốc Khánh, Vice Chairman of the Lào Cai Provincial People’s Committee said "I believe that the support by UN agencies, UN Women, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA is very practical, contributing to helping people stabilize their lives after the storm and flood, and recover their livelihoods. From the local government, we are committed to continuing to effectively implement the projects and programmes.”

In September 2024, Typhoon Yagi, one of Việt Nam's most severe storms in recent decades, caused extensive damage across 26 provinces, claiming 345 lives, displacing over 120,000 families, damaging more than 800 health-care facilities and affecting 3.6 million people.

High winds, floods and landslides disrupted or destroyed critical infrastructure including roads, health-care facilities and communications.

To coordinate UN assistance for the Government’s response, UN agencies and development partners launched an Australian Government funded joint response plan to support humanitarian needs and early recovery until June 2025.

It focused on the most vulnerable people – those who are poor or near poor, pregnant and breastfeeding women, ethnic minority communities, children, older persons, people with disability and displaced people, and in particular, people in the hardest-hit provinces of Cao Bằng, Lào Cai and Yên Bái. VNS