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UNFPA supports Vietnam's response to COVID-19
  • | dtinews.vn | April 04, 2020 09:07 AM
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has just sent critical medical supplies to support the Vietnamese government's efforts to contain and mitigate the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

The UNFPA sends 7,000 bottles of sanitizers to support the Vietnamese hospitals on April 3.

The supplies include hand sanitizer products for pregnant women as well as women delivering a baby and in prenatal and postnatal care and frontline health workers attending them in Hanoi, the epicenter of the epidemic in the country.

This is UNFPA’s Phase 1 and initial support with 7,000 bottles of sanitizers.

The supplies have been delivered today to the Department of Planning and Finance of the Ministry of Health (MOH), which will make them available to the prioritized maternal and reproductive health facilities located in Hanoi including National Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital, Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, maternity wards and other selected health facilities offering sexual and reproductive health services. In order to ensure speedy delivery, products have been procured as a priority item from the local market by UNFPA.


Since the first positive case was reported, the government of Vietnam has taken proactive actions to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. As of 4 April 2020, the number of confirmed cases in the country has risen to 239. The increase in recent confirmed cases in Hanoi has largely been associated with medical facilities. Safe pregnancy and childbirth depend on strict adherence to infection prevention control measures against COVID-19, and pregnant women with respiratory illnesses must be treated with utmost priority due to increased risk of adverse outcomes from COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health highly appreciated UNFPA's support and affirmed that protecting all people’s health during the COVID-19 epidemic is the top priority of the Government, especially for vulnerable groups, including pregnant women and health workers who are combatting the COVID-19 outbreak.

Speaking at the delivering ceremony, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam, Naomi Kitahara stressed that it was imperative that they supported the Ministry of Health and all the people working in the health sector, especially the front liners, who risk their health and safety for people in responding to this emergency.

"The protection of health workers must be a top priority during the COVID-19 epidemic response,” she confirmed. "We would like to express our solidarity with all Vietnamese people as we face the COVID-19 epidemic together. Alongside all UN agencies, UNFPA stands ready to provide any assistance we can to support the national response to the epidemic, paying particular attention to vulnerable groups such as pregnant women.”

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