Deputy Prime Minister Lê Văn Thành presents certificates and flowers to representatives of businesses to say thanks for their contribution to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund at the fund launching ceremony in Hà Nội on June 5. — Photo courtesy of Sacombank

HCM CITY — Many enterprises have donated large sums of money to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund following Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s appeal to all citizens, local and foreign businesses and organisations to contribute. They have also provided great support to localities in combating the pandemic.

Masan Group Corporation donated VNĐ60 billion (US$2.6 million) at the event to mark the debut of the fund in Hà Nội on Saturday.

A representative of Masan Group said that through this contribution, Masan wants to help the Government repel the pandemic.

In addition to contributing VNĐ60 billion to the COVID-19 vaccine fund, the group and its member companies have donated hundreds of thousands of essential products worth nearly VNĐ10 billion ($434,531) to support frontline teams in the COVID-19 fight, quarantine areas and hospitals.

Also at the event, Sacombank donated VNĐ10 billion to the Government's efforts to purchase vaccines.

In addition, the bank has set aside another VNĐ10 billion through its branches to support organisations such as the Fatherland Front  Committee, Department of Health, Labour Confederation, and Red Cross Society in provinces and cities across the country in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sacombank and its staff have so far donated nearly VNĐ32.5 billion ($1.4 million) for the prevention and control of the pandemic of the central and local governments, and support the medical teams on the frontlines.

Prudential Vietnam Assurance Private Limited contributed VNĐ5 billion to the fund and registered to buy vaccines for its employees and their families.

This activity is Prudential's effort to contribute to the Government in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic, helping life return to normal soon, protecting people's health and continuing socio-economic development.

On Saturday, Prudential collaborated with the Vietnam Red Cross Society to donate 2,345 level 2 prevention outfits to teams working at frontline hospitals and isolation areas in Bắc Giang Province, one of the localities hardest hit by the fourth wave of COVID-19.

Many other companies donated to the fund, including Long Thành Golf Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company, Viettel, Vingroup, Novaland, Sovico Group, HDBank, Vietcombank, BIM Group and others.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính said the fund was established to mobilise social resources for the purchase and import of vaccines as well as for research, development and production of domestic vaccines.

Though Việt Nam has been one of the most successful countries in the world at containing the COVID-19 pandemic as evidenced by low infection and death rates, the pandemic is still evolving with new strains first found in India and the UK behind the recent surge of domestic cases in Việt Nam.

In order to return life to normal, the Party and State set the goal to administer free vaccines to all people to soon achieve herd immunity, considering it a fundamental, long-term, strategic and decisive solution to get rid of the pandemic, he said.

As of 8pm on June 5, the fund, which was approved by the Government on May 26, has received VNĐ1.036 trillion ($45 million). Several major companies have pledged around VNĐ6.6 trillion ($285 million), Finance Minister Hồ Đức Phớc said.

He said Việt Nam aims to secure 150 million doses of vaccines to immunise 75 million of its population this year, and the cost is estimated at VNĐ25.2 trillion. The government is expected to provide VNĐ16 trillion and localities nationwide as well as private sources will make up the rest.

Tô Thị Bích Châu, chairwoman of the HCM City Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, said businesses and citizens in the city have pledged to donate nearly VNĐ2.2 trillion to support the national COVID-19 vaccine fund and buy vaccines for the city.

The committee transferred VNĐ500 billion to the fund. The committee is waiting for instructions from authorities to buy and vaccinate people in the city as soon as possible and share with other localities.

So far, over 1.2 million people have been vaccinated, mainly frontline workers in the COVID-19 fight. Of these, more than 33,000 have received the prescribed two doses. — VNS