UN Resident Coordinator for Vietnam Kamal Malhotra has said that Hanoi’s measures against Covid-19 are drastic and active.

UN Resident Coordinator for Vietnam Kamal Malhotra and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi on March 10. Photo: VGP

Vietnam became the only country preventing the spread of the virus for weeks and successfully curing the infected cases. The UN has taken Vietnam as an example for other countries in the first round combating with the epidemic, Kamal Malhotra said at a meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi on March 10.

The UN official believed that Vietnam’s measures will continue to be effective in the second round of the battle against the epidemic.

UN support

Kamal Malhotra said countries around the globe and UN organizations should be more active and determined to fight againts the epidemic and predict big impact on the society.

The UN agencies in a spirit of “one UN” will have different approaches and support to Vietnam in terms of technology, technique, and assessment that help mitigate the impact on the society and economy, he said.

At the meeting, Kamal Malhotra handed over a report about impact of Covid-19 on the global economy made by The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The official said the UN will conduct assessment carefully before making recommendations for Vietnam and support the country in the second round which is estimated to be more severe.

The UN will do researches on the most vulnerable sectors like health, finance, manufacturing, education, vulnerable people, among others.

The number of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Vietnam has reached 38 as of March 11 after four new cases were confirmed positive for the virus in the day.

Last week, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded Vietnam’s efforts against coronavirus by conducting early and effective measures, especially the political commitment of senior leaders.

He made the praise at a meeting with Assistant to the Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu in Geneva, Switzerland on March 6, where the WHO chief said he appreciated Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship and the co-ordination among ASEAN countries in the fight against the epidemic.