Prime Minister works with Ministry of Health: Decides on urgent issues to prevent and fight Covid-19 epidemic

Also attending the meeting was Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam - Head of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.

At the meeting, the Prime Minister listened to a report on the current Covid-19 situation in our country, discussed solutions that need to be continued in the coming time, especially preparing for possible scenarios and situations, conducting large-scale testing and vaccinating people.

In recent days, the Prime Minister has paid special attention to epidemic prevention and control, continuously giving close and drastic instructions to the health sector and relevant ministries, agencies and localities. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directly inspected the epidemic prevention and control work at the southwestern border, Ho Chi Minh City, and encouraged the medical forces, police, army and other forces on the front line against the epidemic.

Son Long village, one of five locked-down villages in Quynh Lap commune, Hoang Mai town (Nghe An) after a positive case of Covid-19 was detected. Photo: PV

Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that "the entire population is waiting for us, the core force in the fight against the epidemic", asking delegates to discuss in a focused, quality, and effective manner, and to have stronger solutions to promote the Ministry of Health and the health sector to perform well their functions, tasks, and powers.

The Prime Minister asked delegates to focus on discussing and evaluating three main contents.

The first, outstanding achievements, limitations, weaknesses, shortcomings of the industry in the past time, subjective and objective causes, especially subjective causes, lessons learned.

Monday,Breakthrough solutions to develop the healthcare industry in the coming time.

Tuesday, Covid-19 prevention work in the past time, propose solutions to effectively prevent the epidemic, continue socio-economic development in the coming time, first of all, prepare well for the election of the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels.

All new cases have identified sources of infection.

At the meeting, the Ministry of Health submitted to the Prime Minister reports on the implementation of the sector's activities; on the Covid-19 epidemic situation and measures implemented in epidemic prevention and control; on the purchase, import and injection of Covid-19 vaccines; and on the implementation of SARS-CoV-2 testing.

Reporting to the Prime Minister, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long clearly stated urgent tasks in the coming time, especially the prevention and control of Covid-19, and recommendations and proposals to the Government and the Prime Minister.

The Ministry of Health believes that the number of new Covid-19 cases in Vietnam may continue to increase, however, all new cases have been identified as originating from previous outbreaks, which have been quarantined through F1 tracing. The number of cases may continue to appear because many F1s are still being traced, quarantined, and tested.

In addition, other outbreaks may continue to be recorded in the community in some other localities, especially localities with large gatherings during the recent holidays due to undetected sources of infection or undetected sources of entry.

Improving testing capacity, efforts to access vaccines

Regarding SARS-CoV-2 testing capacity, it is currently at nearly 66,000 samples/day. If necessary, the capacity can be increased by 1.5 to 2 times and can reach a maximum of 290,000 samples/day. If 10 samples are pooled, it can reach 2.9 million samples/day. As of May 13, the whole country has performed Realtime RT-PCR testing on over 3 million samples, equivalent to nearly 4 million people tested, identifying 3,710 positive people.

Vaccines are the most effective epidemic prevention solution today. Illustration photo

To promptly respond to the complicated developments of the epidemic, the Ministry of Health said it is using a testing strategy that combines different testing techniques. It directs localities to review and ensure that the testing capacity on a population scale reaches at least 1,000 samples (single)/1 million people/day; increase the testing capacity of medical examination and treatment facilities to at least 300 beds with 1 Realtime RT-PCR testing system.

As of May 13, the whole country had injected 969,730/917,600 doses of vaccine, reaching a rate of 106% (vaccine provided is packaged in 5.5-6ml vials, can inject up to 12 doses - 0.5ml each dose).

Implementing the Prime Minister's direction, the Ministry of Health is developing a project to import, produce, organize Covid-19 vaccination and allocate resources for implementation.

Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said that the Ministry has made efforts to access vaccine supplies through various channels, working directly with vaccine manufacturers, international organizations, embassies of countries, and Vietnamese ambassadors abroad.

The total number of vaccines that Vietnam has purchased and registered is about 170 million doses, of which the number signed and committed is about 110 million doses. However, the progress of supply is uncertain due to dependence on vaccine manufacturers and suppliers. The Ministry will continue to make efforts to approach and negotiate with manufacturers, suppliers, and organizations to have more vaccine sources for Vietnam.

Vietnam currently has 4 units making efforts to research and produce vaccines domestically, of which 2 vaccines are in phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials. If the research is successful, it is expected that production and supply will begin in 2022. The Ministry has sent a document to the World Health Organization to receive technology transfer for vaccine production and set up a technology transfer center in Vietnam.

The Government Electronic Information Portal will continue to inform about Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's working session with the Ministry of Health.