Today, in a ceremony at the Ministry of Health, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and UNICEF marked their recent provision of $1 million in life-saving equipment and vaccine administration supplies to Vietnam to assist with its COVID-19 response.
The equipment and supplies, funded by USAID and delivered through UNICEF between November 2021 and February 2022, include 2.5 million syringes, 125,000 N95 face masks and 250 portable patient monitors. The donation has come at a timely moment as Vietnam responds to the current Omicron-fueled wave.
Attending the ceremony at the Ministry of Health were USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock, UNICEF Representative to Viet Nam Rana Flowers, and the Vice Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan.
"The United States and Vietnam have built on decades of collaboration and friendship, drawing on each other’s strengths and capacities, to jointly identify and address the highest priorities when responding to COVID-19," said USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock. "USAID’s steadfast commitment to supporting Vietnam’s COVID-19 response, including through partners such as UNICEF, is demonstrated in this ceremony today marking our recent donation of $1 million in life-saving equipment and supplies."
“Today is about reaffirming that while enormous strides have been made, we are not yet at the end of the pandemic — and UNICEF continues to work hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health of Viet Nam and our key partners — to not just focus on the roll out of safe vaccines but to support in every way we can the medical equipment and medicines that are critical to saving lives from COVID-19,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative. “USAID has been a long time partner, including providing support whenever emergency or disaster strikes. UNICEF acknowledges the foresight, commitment, and compassion of all countries and donors who have supported Viet Nam — we will get through this by working together.”
Throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic, USAID and UNICEF have worked in partnership with the Ministry of Health to bolster Vietnam’s risk communication and community engagement, and to improve infection prevention, control and response efforts. UNICEF, as the primary COVAX partner in-country, has worked to bring in U.S. Government-supported COVID vaccines — totaling more than 33 million to-date.
