The equipment package, funded by the UK Government and delivered through UNICEF, includes 500 patients vital sign monitors and 500 syringe pumps. (Photo: Courtesy of UNICEF)Hanoi (VNA) – The British Embassy in Hanoi and UNICEF on December 29 handed over 500,000 GBP (over 602,000 USD) inlife-saving equipment to the Ministry of Health to assist recovery of Vietnam’shealth system.
The equipment package, fundedby the UK Government and delivered through UNICEF in December 2022, includes500 patient vital signs monitors and 500 syringe pumps.
The Health Ministry will soon distribute the equipment to hospitals and health facilities inneed nationwide.
British Ambassador toVietnam Iain Frew said that he hopes medical equipment shows both theUK’s long-term and practical as well as moral support to Vietnamese patientsand medical doctors in the most vulnerable areas to overcome hardships,particularly in health.
“We will continue tocooperate closely with Vietnam’s Ministry of Health to strengthen and supportresilient health systems and services for Vietnam,’’ he said.
UNICEF Vietnam OICRepresentative Ziad Nabulsi said that the equipment will contribute greatly to the ongoing efforts to keep Vietnam safefrom the COVID-19 outbreak as well as to strengthen its health systempost-COVID.
While Vietnam’shealth system has progressively improved, which was also evident through itsrobust response to COVID-19, it still needs support from partners – especiallyin remote and hard-to-reach areas. UNICEF, along with its partners, willcontinue to focus on strengthening Vietnam’s health system.
During the COVID-19pandemic, the UK was one of the initial countries that donated vaccines toVietnam, with over 2 million doses of Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Wider health cooperation between the UK and Vietnam includes work on antimicrobial resistance, non-communicable diseases, health education and digital health./.
