Vietnam moves to establish COVID-19 vaccine fund

Preparation for the injection of vaccine (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The
is seeking the Government’s approval for the establishment
of a COVID-19 vaccine fund, it announced on May 19.

The Ministry of Health
plans to buy 150 million doses of vaccine to inoculate about 75 million people
at an estimated cost of 25.2 trillion VND (1.09 billion USD). Of the amount, 21
trillion VND will be used to purchase vaccines and the remainder will cover transportation,
preservation, distribution and vaccination costs.

The MoF said that 16
trillion VND for will come from the state budget, while the
remaining 9.2 trillion VND will be mobilised from localities, businesses and
organisations.

In case the pandemic
persists, leading to an annual increasing demand for vaccines, it is difficult
to fulfill the target of having all people inoculated if Vietnam depends on the
State budget only, according to the finance ministry.

Therefore, the establishment
of the is necessary to meet urgent requirements in the
fight against the pandemic and speed up vaccine purchase and import for the
sake of the immunisation drive.

The non-profit fund is
to manage and coordinate its finances for sponsorship, purchase and usage of
COVID-19 vaccines. Its operation will be placed under the supervision of State
financial management institutions and the State Audit Office of Vietnam.

It is obliged to
report budget collection and spending to the Government and the National Assembly,
as well as publicise mobilised sources, list of donors and its balance.

The Government earlier
issued a resolution promulgating the purchase and use of vaccine, given the
complex developments of COVID-19 across the world and decisions of the Politburo
and the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat to buy the vaccine with money
mainly from the State budget along with other legal financial sources.

The resolution
stipulates that the sources include allocations from the State budget,
assistance of organisations, individuals at home and abroad and other legal
funding, and sums which are voluntarily paid by vaccine users./.