Vietnam hopes the COVAX Facility speeds up the supply and delivery of Covid-19 vaccines to the country amid the widespread transmission of coronavirus caused by different virus variants.

The country also wants to get tech transfer and the setting up of vaccine factories.

Vietnamese Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long made the proposal with representatives of the COVAX Facility and several countries at a virtual meeting on May 31 that was organized under the initiative of Japan and the COVAX Facility.

Long said the support in vaccine supply by other organizations and countries should focus on reviewing the vaccine supply via the COVAX Facility, including the roadmap for Vietnam.

Vietnam's Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long at the meeting on May 31. Photo: Thai Binh

Vietnam is one of 92 recipients of the global risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines that is co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

At the meeting, Long highly appreciated the establishment of the COVAX Facility that targets to supply two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines to dozens of countries in 2021.

“This offers an opportunity for all low-income countries to have access to Covid-19 vaccine. Vietnam highly appreciates the initiative of the Japanese Government and the COVAX Facility in organizing this conference,” Long said

A batch of COVAX vaccines arrived in Vietnam on May 15. Photo: UNICEF

According to Long, the country has received nearly 2.6 million out of 38.9 million doses that the COVAX Facility pledged to aid Vietnam in 2021.

Long also emphasized that Vietnam will intensify investment in facilities for the transfer, enabling the country to supply vaccines for itself, for the COVAX Facility, and other countries.

On the occasion, he announced that Vietnam will contribute US$500,000 to the COVAX Facility.

Main COVAX donors are the US, Germany, the EU, Canada, Japan, and France.

Regarding the vaccination, around 1.05 million doses have been administered to people in Vietnam. The country ranks lowest in Southeast Asia in terms of inoculation with 1.08 doses per 100 persons, compared to 69.41 in Singapore, 27.81 in Cambodia, 13.9 in Brunei, 9.97 in Indonesia, and 9.74 in Malaysia.

As of June 1, Vietnam confirmed 7,300 infections, including 47 deaths. Up to 60% of the total cases have been detected in the ongoing outbreak that has lasted for a month.

So far, the country has found eight Covid-19 variants among confirmed cases.