Minister of Health speaks at the meeting (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – A group of 35 Vietnamese doctors and
caregivers is expected to leave Vietnam on May 4 for Laos aboard a Vietnam
Airlines flight to assist the nation’s fight against COVID-19, heard a meeting
between them and Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long in Hanoi on May 3.
According to Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son,
who will accompany the experts, the group’s mission is to support in testing,
treatment, building of treatment hospitals, and training for use of
Vietnamese-funded medical equipment.
At the meeting, Nguyen Minh Chau, deputy head of the
ministry’s international cooperation department, said the experts from nine
medical facilities nationwide are scheduled to be in Laos between 15 and 17
days, which could be shortened or prolonged based on real-life situations.
Expenses of their working trip are sourced from the State budget.
Per information from the Lao side, the Vietnamese delegation
will be tested for COVID-19 at the airport, and they then will begin their
mission immediately without quarantine.
Minister Long said the group will give guidance and directly
join their Lao peers in prevention and control there. The guidance ought
to cover all prevention work like contact tracing, quarantine, lockdown, and
social distancing, he noted.
He underscored Laos needs to be assisted most in treatment
work, including the building of hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients.
Long said the Vietnamese experts will help treating severe
patients and guiding Lao doctors and nurses on treatment methods.
Laos also demands Vietnam’s assistance in the establishment
of its testing system for a large-scale implementation, the minister said,
recommending the experts share their experiences in sample collection as well
as waste and environment management in quarantine sites.
He told the group to ask for increasing connection with
Vietnam’s treatment system when they reach ’ remote areas. The ministry has
asked the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group to support internet
connection between Vietnam and Laos./.
Source: VietnamPlus
