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| A masked woman walks in the streets of Hanoi. |
CONSOLIDATING SOLIDARITY AND COOPERATION TO CURB AND SURPRESS COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The world has been struggling against the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in almost all countries and territories across all continents, that seriously harms people’s health and routines and negatively impacts the global economy as well as all aspects of the political and social lives. Recent developments of the pandemic project a prolonged and perilous situation carrying in which a number of adversary implications.
Such health crisis on a global scale and at the magnitude of the disease’s complexity has laid out immense challenges for countries, continents and the entire humanity, which can not be dealt with by any single efforts. The situation requires all countries and all political parties to strengthen cooperation at various levels and through various mechanisms. First, with transparent and open spirit, we need strong policy coordination, timely and regular exchanges of information and experience and technical and resource assistance. Second, people must be placed at the top priority; therefore, we must secure the safety of citizens who are in affected areas, treat the infected with humanitarian spirit, ensure that expatriate citizens to be fed with sufficient information regarding suitable health safety habits and to be cured in case of infection. Third, concerted actions should be developed to ensure that Covid-19 outbreak does not lead to separation, ostracism and discrimination among countries and among peoples. Fourth, the role of multilateral institutions should be highlighted in promoting common efforts to fight the pandemic.
Being one of the first countries to be hit by Covid-19, the Communist Party and the government of Vietnam has proactively and promptly implemented decisive and coherent strategies and mobilized the entire political system and community to address the disease, securing people’s health and lives, including: control and isolate the sources of disease transmission, early detect cases, screen and isolate patients with strictness and efficiency; adopt stringent social distancing measures in order to minimize the contagion; early develop treatment regimen for Covid-19 and mobilize medical staffs and best available medical resources to cure the infected cases, whether they are Vietnamese or not; mobilize the entire society to participate in the fight under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam; implement a number of information-educationcommunication measures in a timely, prompt, effective and transparent manner to raise public awareness of self-protection and community protection.
Despite various difficulties and challenges, the concerted efforts of the whole political system and people, with strong determination and unity, have helped Vietnam to gain a grip of the disease, which is highly recognized by the World Health Organization and the international community.
By April 13th 2020 – eighty-two days after the first positive case of nCoV was confirmed, Covid-19 in Vietnam has remained under control with 262 positive cases, more than half of them (144) recovered and no death. In the next stage, as the disease is continuously and strongly hitting the world, the Party and government of Vietnam remain highly focused in controlling the contagion, avoid a false sense of success and loosing the grip, and has, therefore, planned scenarios with respective measures to tackle the pandemic at various levels. It has set forth a double task of curbing the disease and maintaining socio-economic stability.
The Communist Party and the government of Vietnam determines that it might have to accept short-term economic losses in order to protect people’s health and lives and has recently launched economic and financial packages to support vulnerable groups, especially the poor and disadvantaged workers, resolutely not to leave anyone behind.
Apart from the ongoing domestic efforts, Vietnam has also exchanged information and shared experiences with other countries, joining hands with peoples around the world and the international community to combat the pandemic. In spite of various domestic difficulties, the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and its limited medical resources, Vietnam has shared, in accordance with its capability, its resources and provided medical materials and equipment, including masks, specialized protective clothing, and tests kits, to other countries, helping their governments with more facilities to protect people’s lives and their peoples to overcome this hard time. It has also actively supported other countries’ citizens in Vietnam and provided treatment to those confirmed with Covid-19.
With gratitude, Vietnam has also received precious encouragement, support and assistance from other countries and the international community. We firmly believe that solidarity and cooperation among political parties and nations will strengthen efforts in curbing and suppressing the Covid-19 pandemic.
Comrade Hoang Binh Quan
Member of the Central Committee
Chairman of the Commission for External Relations
Communist Party of Vietnam.