Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Việt Nam Park Noh Wan and Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long at a hand-over ceremony on Friday in Hà Nội. — Photo Embassy of South Korea

HÀ NỘI — The South Korean Government has donated 40 thermal imaging scanners to the Ministry of Health to help the Government of Việt Nam fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Việt Nam Park Noh Wan handed over the scanners to Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long at a ceremony on Friday in Hà Nội.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long expressed his gratitude to the Government and people of the Republic of Korea for supporting Việt Nam over the years, especially for the health sector in the fight against COVID-19. 

“Today, the Government and people of the Republic of Korea’s donation of body temperature measurement systems worth nearly US$1 million to Việt Nam is a necessary and valuable support to the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic,” said Long.

Long said that Việt Nam was coping with the fourth wave of COVID-19 pandemic and the Ministry of Health mobilised a large number of people and equipment including biological products, testing equipment, to establish ICU areas and many other professional supports for Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang provinces due to the increasing number of new infections in the two provinces' industrial zones. The health ministry will work closely with the two provinces to control the epidemic in the zones, so as not to disrupt the production chain.

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Việt Nam Park Noh Wan said that the Korean Government and KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) had accompanied non-stop development of many countries in the world, including Việt Nam.

“In order to have an effective and accurate surveillance system and to strengthen the epidemic prevention system of Việt Nam, the Ministry of Health and KOICA have agreed to implement a project installing 40 remote body temperature measurement systems at ten international airports of Việt Nam and organised a capacity building programme for Vietnamese health professionals and quarantine officers. The use of remote thermometers will help ensure a safer environment for airline passengers and airport staffs,” said Ambassador Park.

In addition, Park added, the Korean Government would also provide non-refundable aid worth $2.5 million to support the implementation of the Vietnamese Government's COVID-19 vaccination programme in 2021. — VNS