Localities, firms facilitated to access global COVID-19 vaccine supplies

A senior citizen is about to receive COVID-19 Moderna vaccine in Ho Chi Minh City's District 11. (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked the Minister of Health to continue to direct and support localities and businesses to access global COVID-19 vaccine supplies, according to a document issued on July 27 by the Government Office.

The request was issued following proposals from companies and organisations seeking permission to negotiate and import vaccines to provide free vaccinations for the population.

The Ministry of Health is responsible for state management of vaccine quality, licensing, storage and organisation of vaccination in a timely, scientific, safe and efficient manner.

The Minister of Health said the ministry has collaborated with all ministries, departments and sectors and encouraged all localities, companies and units to participate in seeking COVID-19 vaccine supplies for import.

The ministry will adopt policies to engage more local governments and companies in seeking foreign COVID-19 vaccine supplies for domestic use, and create optimal conditions for them during the procurement process, from import licensing to vaccine verification.

In case the importers are unable to perform inoculation, the vaccines will be administered by the State-run vaccination system.

The ministry also encouraged enterprises to directly import the vaccines from producers and at the same time, allows localities to gain access to vaccines supplies from businesses.

It emphasised that vaccines should be directly purchased from manufacturers or authorized importers rather than a third party or a broker to reduce the risk of procuring fake vaccines or being defrauded.

Vietnam is making all-out efforts to have 150 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to achieve herd immunity in late 2021 or early 2022./.