Vietnam shares experience in fighting COVID-19 with Canada

A virtual seminar to share Vietnam’s experience in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic was jointly held by the Canada - Vietnam Society (CVS) and the Vietnam - Canada Friendship Association (VCFA) on July 7, with about 90 delegates attending.

Speaking at the event, Thomas Alexander, an education consultant working in HCM City, said he was most impressed by the vision of Vietnamese leaders in the country’s fight against COVID-19.

Leaders seemed to understand the complexity of the pandemic and applied tough measures to contain its spread, he said.

When the coronavirus was new to the public, many people did not strictly comply with the Government’s restrictions, but later, both Vietnamese and foreigners alike realised that tough measures were right, he stressed.

Associate Professor and Dr Tran Xuan Bach from the Hanoi Medical University briefed Canadian friends on the interdisciplinary approach for preventing and controlling COVID-19 in Vietnam.

Dr Vu Ngoc Long from the Ministry of Health’s Department of Preventive Medicine told them about Vietnam’s efforts in responding to the health crisis.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth McIninch from the CVS said many countries worldwide are now trying to bring activities back to normal amid global efforts to test anti-viral vaccines and drugs.

For Canada, Vietnam plays an important role as it is its strongest development partner in Southeast Asia, with HCM City now being one of the most important hubs for startups in the world, she noted.

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will provide impetus for stronger cooperation between Vietnam and Canada in the future, she said, expressing her belief that there remain opportunities for the two counties to expand their cooperation despite the challenges caused by the pandemic.

On the occasion, the CVS presented the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases with over 2,000 CAD (over 1,469 USD) each to support disease prevention efforts.