More than 2.57 million text messages had been sent to raise funds for Vietnam’s COVID-19 pandemic mitigation efforts as of Wednesday afternoon, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MOIC) reported.

The fundraising campaign was launched on March 19 by the MOIC, the Ministry of Health, the Central Committee of the Fatherland Front and the Vietnam Red Cross Society. It will run until June 18. Each text message sent to 1407 will contribute at least VND20,000 (86 cents) to the fund.

A message to donate VND200,000 (USD8.69) to the fund 

By the afternoon of April 29, the organisers received the total donation of VND150.4 billion (USD6.25 million) for the fundraising campaign.

Earlier on April 10, MOIC and the Fatherland Front used VND100 billion (USD4.34 million) from the campaign to grant the Ministry of Health for the purchase of medical equipment such as patient monitors and infusion pumps which can be used in the long run when the pandemic ends.

On the behalf of the Ministry of Health, Cuong expressed his deep thanks to the support of the community.

Vietnam has confirmed no more new Covid-19 case over the past 14 days with the tally remaining at 270 with the majority being discharged from hospital.