Spokesperson: foreign businesses actively, voluntarily contribute to COVID-19 vaccine fund

The Vietnamese Party and State consider public consensus, responsibility, and social resources as important factors in wiping out the pandemic, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said at a regular press conference held online on June 10.

An in such a spirit, Hang added, the Prime Minister on May 26 issued Resolution No 53/NQ-CP and Decision No 779/QD-TTg on the establishment of a COVID-19 national vaccine fund to receive, manage, and use donations in cash and kind to import, study, and produce vaccines at home.

She noted that the fund has so far received active and voluntary contributions from Vietnamese and foreign firms operating in the country as well as from the public.

The spokesperson stressed that Vietnam has set the goal of early vaccinating its entire population for free to achieve herd immunity, considering this a basic, long-term, decisive, and strategic solution to escape from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Towards the goal, the National Assembly has decided to spend about VND12 trillion from annual budget savings to buy COVID-19 vaccines.

The spokesperson stressed that the Party, State, and Government treasure all contributions from the public and companies and will oversee the fund’s operations in a transparent manner in line with the law, for the sake of people’s health and well-being and stable production at enterprises, including foreign-invested enterprises.