Vietnam expected better access to Covid-19 vaccine through technology transfer from the EU amid its rising infections over the past three weeks, the parliament chairman has expressed hope.

Vietnam's Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue and Giorgio Aliberti, Ambassador of the European Union to Vietnam at a meeting on May 21. Photo: Giorgio Aliberti's Twitter

Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue said at the meeting in Hanoi on May 21 with Giorgio Aliberti, Ambassador of the European Union to Vietnam.

Hue also expected more Covid-19 vaccine supply from the EU.

He said that no one, no country, no region or the whole world remains safe until Covid-19 vaccine is administered. It requires technology transfer among countries, mostly to the hardest-hit nations by the pandemic.

At a press conference in Hanoi on March 23, Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti said Vietnam is a promising recipient of EU’s Covid-19 vaccine technology transfer. Ambassadors of Germany, Spain, Italy, and Czech to Vietnam also supported the EU efforts to bring Covid-19 vaccine to Vietnam.

Vietnam is seeking Covid-19 vaccine supply and technology transfer for its 100 million people in the pursuit of dual goals of containing the virus and reviving the economy.

On May 19, Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son proposed the UK transfer technology in Covid-19 vaccine production in a phone talk with First Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

Regarding vaccine production capacity, Vietnam has been certified to have a fully-equipped national regulatory system for vaccine regulation in 2015. The National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of Vietnam moves one level in the World Health Organization (WHO)’s rating scale for the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

So far, Vietnam has produced 11 kinds of vaccines against 11 diseases in the EPI, namely TB, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, cholera, typhoid, measles, rubella, and polio. It has also manufactured different kinds of vaccines against seasonal flu, H5N1, and Rotavirus.