New Zealand, UNICEF provide NZ$1 million in medical equipment to Viet Nam

The medical equipment supported by New Zealand's International Development Cooperation program and delivered through UNICEF includes Hematology Analyser, Coagulation Analyser, Immunoassay Analyser System, Biochemistry Analyser and Automated DNA/RNA extraction machine.

The donation aims to support Viet Nam to strengthen the capacity of the health system to effectively diagnose and treat COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a strong blow to health systems worlwide, including Viet Nam. It has  emphasized the critical need to invest in building a robust and highly resilient health care system to better prepare for future pandemics, said New Zealand Ambassador to Viet Nam, Ms. Tredene Dobson.

"We hope that the new medical equipment will offer an essential support for the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, which has been at the forefront of the pandemic, to increase its capacity to more effectively respond to the future outbreaks and provide better care and ensure the well-being of the Vietnamese people", she shared.

UNICEF is honored to collaborate with the Government of New Zealand, to further strengthen the capacity of Viet Nam's health system to respond swiftly to diseases of today, and to effectively address future outbreaks, said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative.

The medical equipment is part of the NZ$2 million contribution from New Zealand to support Viet Nam's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, announced by the New Zealand Embassy in May 2022.

The project included NZ$1 million for medical equipment, provided through UNICEF Viet Nam, and NZ$1 million for community level economic recovery support through CARE International and Oxfam in Viet Nam./.