Quang Binh Province assists Lao locality in COVID-19 fight

A working delegation from the central province of Quang Binh returned home on October 25, successfully concluding their 15-day working trip to Laos’ Khammouane Province to assist the bordering locality in the fight against COVID-19.

Health workers from Quang Binh Province perform COVID-19 testing for locals in Laos’ Khammouane Province (Photo: NDO/Xuan Son)
Health workers from Quang Binh Province perform COVID-19 testing for locals in Laos’ Khammouane Province (Photo: NDO/Xuan Son)

The working trip has not only helped Khammouane Province address its challenges in containing COVID-19 but also contributed to consolidating the friendship and attachment between the two localities.

Following a decision issued on October 8 by the Quang Binh Provincial People’s Committee, a 11-member delegation was established, including staff of Quang Binh's departments and sectors along with the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) led by Vice Director of the provincial Department of External Affairs Nguyen Thanh Xuan.

The delegation left for Khammouan Province on the morning of October 11. That evening, shortly after arriving, the team members had a meeting with local leaders to quickly grasp the situation and set up medical equipment.

The team brought along two RT-PCR testing machines and bio products that are enough for testing 15,000 group samples, along with 1,000 quick test kits and other medical equipment to support Khammouane Province in COVID-19 prevention and control.

In addition, the team also presented a level-2 biological safety cabinet to the Lao locality to facilitate the testing process, minimise the risk of biological contamination for laboratory staff, and prevent the virus from spreading into the community.

Medical workers of Quang Binh and Khammouane provinces work together to fight COVID-19. (Photo: VNA)

The working trip was made at a time when Khammouane Province is suffering from a large-scale outbreak of COVID-19 with many hotspots recorded in the community.

Given the situation, the team members rallied effort to perform COVID-19 testing in order to quickly detect and treat COVID-19 infection cases.

After three days, the delegation held a discussion with the functional agencies of Khammouane Province to suggest solutions to efficiently handle pandemic-hit areas and better treatment for severe and critical COVID-19 patients.

Due to the rising number of infections in the province, the delegation also proposed Quang Binh provincial authorities to send more bioproducts to Khammouane. As a result, Quang Binh Province sent additional bioproducts worth about VND 500 million to Khammouane on October 19.

During the hard-working days, the delegation received much support and care from local authorities and functional agencies.

The delegation received much support and care from local authorities and functional agencies of Khammouane Province. (Photo: NDO/Xuan Son)

In recognition of the team’s efforts and contributions to COVID-19 prevention and control in Khammouane, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the province’s People’s Council Bounmy Phimmasone presented the Khammouane Governor’s Certificate of Merit to members of the team.

He expressed his thanks for the delegation’s support of medical equipment worth VND2.7 billion (US$118,444) for Khammouane Province, stressing that assistance illustrated close ties between people of Vietnam and Laos as well as Quang Binh and Khammouane in particular.

According to Vice Director of the Quang Binh Department for External Affairs Nguyen Thanh Xuan, from October 11-25, the team conducted testing on 6,701 samples, 738 of which were positive for SARS-CoV-2.

The team also shared experience on COVID-19 prevention and control with their Lao colleagues.

Vanthany Sanouvong, an official from the Khammouane Provincial Department of External Affairs, highly appreciated the devotion at work and enthusiastic support of the Vietnamese delegation, adding that their experience is valuable to help Khammouane improve its prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic.