UNDP handed over 1,652 COVID-19 test kits to the Ministry of Health (MoH). — Photo courtesy of UNDP

HÀ NỘI — Earlier today the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) handed over 1,652 COVID-19 test kits to the Ministry of Health (MoH) as part of an effort to help put the spread of the virus in northern Việt Nam under control. 

Phan Lê Thu Hằng, Deputy Director-General of the MOH’s Department of Planning and Finance, said UNDP's support for the country's fight against the virus and other diseases has been valuable.

“Since 1978, UNDP has always supported Việt Nam in many ways. Especially in the context of the current outbreak, this provision of test kits is very valuable,” she said. “We really appreciate this support and these test kits will be delivered to the locations where they are most needed."

“The Government has done an extraordinary job in managing the COVID-19 outbreaks in different areas. Viet Nam’s experiences in containing the pandemic, with the whole of government and whole of society approaches have been recognised the world over as best practice,” said UNDP Resident Representative in Việt Nam Caitlin Wiesen.

“I am moved to see the number of doctors and nurses across the country being deployed to Bắc Giang and Bắc Ninh provinces. With the funding from JSB of Japan and Ghen CoVy production team, UNDP is providing these test kits to support the urgent testing efforts in these epicentres,” she said.

Ghen CoVy is a health communication campaign on handling coronavirus, with an awareness-raising effect of 90 million people’s views (just on one of the official accounts) for the music video and 11 million people’s interactions for the #handwashingmove #vudieuruatay challenge. 

UNDP has also worked with MOH and the Ghen CoVy production team to make the song and the dance introduction available in ethnic minority and sign languages to reach the most people with prevention messages in their mother tongues. 

“The campaign was initiated by the National Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health with very limited resources in terms of time, human and financial resources,” said Hoàng Diễm Huyền, Ghen CoV campaign creator.

UNDP has been working closely with relevant ministries and UN organisations to support the country to respond to COVID-19, as part of its mission to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and build resilience to crisis and shocks. 

Meanwhile, a total of 19 robots have been deployed to ten hospitals in six provinces and cities. The robots are being used to protect frontline doctors and nurses as they provide treatment for COVID-19 patients in intensive care units (ICU) in these facilities. A digital solution for PPE inventory management has been applied in 13 healthcare facilities and is ready for scaling up and extending to other health commodities. 

Earlier this year, ten Real-Time-PCR testing devices were delivered and installed at the Centers for Disease Control in ten provinces. The testing devices were procured by UNDP with funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). 

In support of Việt Nam's roadmap for digital transformation to 2025, UNDP's COVID-19 response project funded by Japan’s JSB is supporting the Ministry of Health to pilot a digital telehealth system in remote provinces to reduce disease transmission risk and enhance universal health coverage, including for ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. — VNS