On 14 March, Sweden’s Ambassador to Vietnam Ann Måwe participated in the “Covid-19 Vaccine Appreciation Ceremony” which was organized by Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) at the Government Guest House in Hanoi.
With the slogan ‘More vaccine sharing. More Lives saved. Better Recovery’ Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, and Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long spoke about Vietnam’s achievement during the pandemic and being one of the countries with the highest coverage of vaccines until date. Moreover, the leaders thanked the International Community for donations through COVAX and bilateral donations.
During the ceremony, UNRC a.i. Rana Flowers also spoke on behalf of COVAX underlining the consistent efforts of the Vietnamese government to handle the pandemic and also the efficient rolling-out of the vaccination campaign. She also stressed the importance of leaving no one behind and the urgency to get children back to school.
In a recorded message the Director-General of WHO Teodros Adhom Ghebreyesus also congratulated Vietnam for the efficient roll-out and thanked donors of the COVAX facility for contributing to the well-coordinated and equitable rollout of vaccinations globally.
The Embassy of Sweden in Hanoi informs that Sweden’s support to the international vaccinations efforts have entirely been channeled through COVAX and Sweden is in fact the largest per capita donor to this facility. To date, Sweden has donated 10 million vaccine doses to the world.
The companies supplying vaccines to Vietnam were also present including Swedish British AstraZeneca Vietnam which accounts for 30% of vaccines in Vietnam to date.
