Finance sector ready to respond to natural disasters in the context of Covid-19 pandemic

The document stated that since the beginning of the year, natural disasters have occurred abnormally and extremely, causing great damage and seriously affecting the lives and production of people in all regions of the country, such as: thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning, hail on a large scale, flash floods, landslides in the northern mountainous provinces, drought, historic saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta...

Currently, the main rainy and stormy season has entered. According to forecasts, in the coming time, there will continue to be tropical depressions in the East Sea that will directly affect our country, with heavy rain in almost all provinces and cities across the country.

Officers and soldiers of Muong Tip Border Post help households clean up after the flood (August 2018). Photo courtesy of Hai Thuong

In order to proactively respond to natural disaster situations in the context of the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, to avoid interruptions and passivity in disease prevention and control when natural disasters occur, the leaders of the Ministry requested the Heads of units and systems under the Ministry and the Command Boards for Natural Disaster Prevention, Control and Search and Rescue of units under the Ministry of Finance to perform a number of specific tasks:

Regularly monitor warnings, forecasts of natural disasters, weather and developments of the Covid-19 epidemic through mass media, Viber news, Facebook... of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Health to promptly notify and guide affiliated units, cadres, civil servants, public employees and workers (CBCC) to proactively prevent and respond to ensure safety for the two dual goals mentioned above.

For units in provinces and cities that have been and are at high risk of Covid-19 epidemic, in parallel with implementing epidemic response, localities need to direct the review and adjustment of plans and solutions to respond to natural disasters in accordance with the direction of maximizing the "4 on-site" motto and the requirements and directions of local authorities to be ready to respond promptly and effectively in the context of limited external support, especially ensuring the safety of people, assets, and documents of the unit.

For units in other provinces and cities, review, update and supplement disaster response plans to suit the specific situation and conditions in the locality when an epidemic occurs.

Floods (August 2019) caused the Nam Mo River to rise. Photo: Duy Khanh

For units with regular transaction locations with customers (State Treasury, Tax, Customs...), it is necessary to focus on preparing necessary equipment, means, and medical supplies, such as: body temperature measuring machines, medical masks, disinfectants, antiseptic solutions... to proactively control and prevent infection to ensure the health and safety of staff and customers coming to transact and contact for work.

The Ministry's leaders also requested the General Department of State Reserves to review and direct its affiliated units to urgently implement and complete the national reserve goods plan within the assigned management scope during the year; at the same time, grasp and urge ministries and branches managing reserve goods to implement the assigned plan to ensure readiness to perform the task of issuing national reserve goods according to the decision of competent authorities to promptly respond to epidemics and natural disasters./.