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U.S. provides ventilators to VN to respond to COVID-19

VGP - The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), on Wednesday donated 100 brand-new ventilators to Viet Nam to support its ongoing response to COVID-19.

September 30, 2020 2:29 PM GMT+7

 The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), donates 100 brand-new ventilators to Viet Nam, Ha Noi, September 30, 2020 - Photo: vtc.vn

The donation delivers on President Trump’s generous offer of these critically needed supplies, and supports Viet Nam’s urgent response to the pandemic.

The handover ceremony was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam Daniel J. Kritenbrink, USAID/Viet Nam Mission Director Michael Greene, Acting Minister of Health Dr. Nguyen Thanh Long and National Lung Hospital Director Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung.

The ventilators, produced in the United States, reflect leading-edge and in-demand technology. They are compact, deployable, and provide Viet Nam with flexibility in treating patients affected by the virus. For patients whose lungs are not working adequately despite receiving oxygen, this vital resource may prove life-saving.

“The world is impressed by Viet Nam’s strategy and proactive measures in tackling COVID-19,” said Ambassador Kritenbrink.

This serious disease remains a threat in Viet Nam and the world. Building on the strong relationship between our countries over the last 25 years, the U.S. Government is pleased to support our friends in Viet Nam with this donation of ventilators to fight the coronavirus, he added.

In addition to the ventilators, the U.S. Government, through USAID, has committed US$9.5 million to Viet Nam in response to the pandemic, which is helping to strengthen clinical care, disseminate health messages, build laboratory capacity, improve disease surveillance, as well as support private sector recovery by mitigating the impact of the pandemic on the Vietnamese economy.

For decades, the United States has been the world's largest provider of bilateral assistance in health. Since 2009, American taxpayers have generously funded more than US$100 billion in health assistance and nearly US$70 billion in humanitarian assistance worldwide.

In Viet Nam, over the past 20 years, the United States has invested more than US$706 million in health assistance and more than US$1.8 billion in total assistance.

By Thuy Dung