HCMC – The Covid-19 vaccine fund, whose balance is now nearly VND104 billion, will receive large contributions in the coming periods, including VND1 trillion from the Ministry of Health and some VND2 trillion contributed by enterprises.
At a press conference after the regular Cabinet meeting on June 3, Deputy Minister of Finance Ta Anh Tuan said many enterprises, including foreign direct investment and private ones, have said they are willing to contribute to the fund.
The Ministry of Finance will coordinate with the Government Office to propose the prime minister call on enterprises, organizations and individuals to make their contributions.
The ministry has also worked with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and other relevant ministries and agencies to offer the simplest and most convenient ways for residents and enterprises to make contributions.
A ceremony to introduce the fund will be held on June 5 in Hanoi.
According to the Ministry of Health’s estimation, Vietnam needs more than VND25 trillion to buy Covid-19 vaccines and vaccinate 70% of its population.
Therefore, the Government established the Covid-19 vaccine fund to mobilize legal sources of capital, together with the State budget, to buy Covid-19 vaccines for local residents.
The Ministry of Health has announced that Vietnam would have more than 120 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines this year.
In related news, the HCMC government has decided to establish a centralized quarantine center at the dorm of the Vietnam National University HCMC in Thu Duc City under the management of the municipal Department of Health.
On May 24, the city worked out a plan to expand centralized quarantine facilities to accommodate 30,000 people in case the pandemic spreads further.
At the time, HCMC had two centralized quarantine centers of the military agencies, five city-level quarantine centers, 23 district-level ones and 42 paid quarantine hotels with nearly 10,500 beds. In the worst-case scenario, the city will put into use nine more quarantine centers of the military force and the center at the dorm of the Vietnam National University HCMC with some 19,500 beds.
By Minh Duy
