Army to use all forces to help southern localities wipe out COVID-19: Minister

Entrusted by the Government, the army is determined to use all means and forces, within and even beyond its ability, together with HCM City, the southern provinces of Binh Duong, Long An and Dong Nai and other COVID-19-hit localities, to wipe out the pandemic and bring people’s life to normal.

The delegation before departure

The statement was made by Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang at a ceremony at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on August 23 to bid farewell to a delegation of the Military Medical University, including 1,096 officers and students, who were heading to support the southern provinces and city to fight the pandemic.

The delegation, including 264 doctors, 73 nurses and 759 students, will be divided into 341 mobile military medical groups.

Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang speaks at the event
Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang speaks at the event
They will take responsibility for the establishment of temporary COVID-19 treatment hospitals, collecting samples for testing, providing vaccination and necessities, giving medical care for those with common diseases and COVID-19 patients in quarantine facilities and at home, and other tasks at request, Giang said.

Earlier on August 21, the Military Medical University also sent 295 officers and students, who were divided into over 100 groups, to the southern region.

In response to the appeal of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, directions by the Government, the Central Military Commission and Party Committees at all levels, the entire military forces have deployed over 1,900 checkpoints with over 13,000 staff in border areas, nearly 5,000 checkpoints with more than 22,000 officers and self-defence militia in localities, 190 vaccination sites serving over 270,000 people, set up 10 temporary COVID-19 treatment hospitals, turned a general military hospital into a COVID-19 treatment hospital, and established a treatment centre for moderately and critically ill patients with thousands of medical staff.

The army has donated VND510 billion (US$22.1 million) to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund, deployed thousands of vehicles carrying vaccines to localities, sprayed disinfectants in affected areas. Many units also joined in voluntary blood donation, set up stalls to sell goods at zero Vietnamese dong, and help farmers harvest farm produce.