Leader Kim Jong Un has ordered North Korea's military to stabilise distribution of COVID-19 medicines in the capital, Pyongyang, in the battle on the country's first confirmed outbreak of the disease, state media said. Last week brought the North's first acknowledgment of an "explosive" outbreak, with experts warning it could wreak devastation in a country with limited medical supplies and no vaccine programme. Drugs procured by the state were not reaching people in a timely and accurate way, Kim told an emergency politburo meeting on Sunday, before visiting pharmacies near the capital's Taedong River, state news agency KCNA said. Kim ordered immediate deployment of the "powerful forces" of the army's medical corps to "stabilise the supply of medicines in Pyongyang City," it added. Although authorities had ordered distribution of national reserves of medicine, pharmacies were not well-equipped to perform their functions smoothly, Kim added, the agency said. Among their … [Read more...] about North Korea’s Kim orders military to stabilise supply of COVID-19 drugs
Tackle battle madden 19
Việt Nam commits to working with global community in tackling global issues
Ambassador Lê Thị Tuyết Mai. Photo vtv.vn Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái is attending the 52nd World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting from May 23-24 in Davos, Switzerland. Ambassador Lê Thi Tuyết Mai, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Việt Nam to the United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international organisations in Geneva, talks to VTV News on relations between Việt Nam and WEF, as well as issues surrounding the content of this year's forum. The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022 (WEF Davos Conference 2022) has the theme "History at a turning point: Government Polic ies and Business Strateg ies". This will be the first live event promoting public-private cooperation between leaders of countries, international organi sations and global corporations since the COVID-19 pandemic. Could you please tell us more about the issues that will be discussed at the Conference, as well as the purpose, meaning and comments on this year's topic? The … [Read more...] about Việt Nam commits to working with global community in tackling global issues
N.Korea boosts production of drugs, medical supplies to battle Covid
The isolated country, which has imposed a nationwide lockdown, is also increasing production of traditional Korean medicines used to reduce fever and pain, KCNA said, calling them "effective in prevention and cure of the malicious disease." A sweeping Covid wave, which North Korea first confirmed last week, has fanned concerns over a lack of medical resources and vaccines, with the U.N. human rights agency warning of "devastating" consequences for its 25 million people. At least 262,270 more people reported fever symptoms, and one additional person died as of Wednesday evening, KCNA said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. It did not specify how many people had tested positive for the virus. North Korea has so far reported 1,978,230 people with fever symptoms and 63 deaths, and imposed strict anti-virus measures. Factories are churning out more injections, medicines, thermometers and other medical supplies in the capital Pyongyang and … [Read more...] about N.Korea boosts production of drugs, medical supplies to battle Covid
Joint effort to upgrade Vietnam’s healthcare system
Overview of the Conference The seminar was held in the hybrid form and welcomed over 100 guests who are representatives of international organisations, local ministries, and affiliated agencies. Editor-in-chief Le Trong Minh spoke at the conference. Photo: Chi Cuong During the opening speech, Le Trong Minh, VIR‘s editor-in-chief said, “Although Vietnam has achieved significant progress in battling COVID-19, the healthcare system requires sustainable and resilient expansion." It is essential for healthcare practitioners to have innovative orientations for a flexible and well-prepared healthcare system. Investment is required for social resources for the health system, as well as increased collaboration among the stakeholders, including the use of the PPP in cooperation. "New financial resources, particularly in the form of PPP investments, must be mobilised to improve health services," said Minh. Tran Duy Dong, Deputy Minister of Planning and … [Read more...] about Joint effort to upgrade Vietnam’s healthcare system
AstraZeneca: three healthcare priorities in the new normal
Nitin Kapoor-Chairman and general director AstraZeneca Vietnam At AstraZeneca, our scientists, lab researchers, medical, regulatory and corporate affairs teams, amongst others, have worked tirelessly to see this day. We told ourselves that this is probably the only chance in our lifetime to play such an important role in fighting a pandemic of this scale. It was our duty to offer our best to protect the people. We worked closely with the Vietnamese government, the Ministry of Health, VNVC, and other partners to deliver and support the bilateral donations of more than 70 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. Our motivation was to ensure that Vietnam would be one of the first countries in Asia to have access to vaccines to save lives. Vietnam now possesses one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, and we cannot be prouder of what we have accomplished together. But as a healthcare company, our responsibility does not stop there. While the hardest part of the … [Read more...] about AstraZeneca: three healthcare priorities in the new normal
North Korea reports more deaths, says taking ‘swift measures’ against Covid outbreak
North Korea's admission on Thursday that it is battling an "explosive" Covid-19 outbreak has raised concerns that the virus could devastate a country with an under-resourced health system, limited testing capabilities and no vaccine programme. State news agency KCNA said the country was taking "swift state emergency measures" to control the epidemic, but there is no sign that Pyongyang was moving to accept international offers of vaccines. "All provinces, cities and counties of the country have been totally locked down and working units, production units and residential units closed from each other since the morning of May 12 and strict and intensive examination of all the people is being conducted," KCNA reported on Sunday. A day earlier North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the spread of Covid-19 had thrust his country into "great turmoil" and called for an all-out battle to overcome the outbreak. Despite the lockdowns, Kim and other senior officials on Saturday attended … [Read more...] about North Korea reports more deaths, says taking ‘swift measures’ against Covid outbreak
Vietnam to play more active role at UN: PM
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed . (Photo: VNA) New York (VNA) – Vietnam will continue bringing into play its role and making more active and constructive contributions to the common work of the United Nations in all the three pillars – security-politics, development and human rights, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has affirmed. At a meeting with UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed in New York on May 16 (local time), the PM stressed that the year 2022 is of great significance as it marks the 45th anniversary of Vietnam’s UN membership. Appreciating the UN’s valuable contributions and support to Vietnam over the past more than four decades, the PM asked Amina to convey his invitation to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other UN leaders to visit Vietnam this year to foster multi-faceted cooperation between the two sides. PM Chinh reiterated Vietnam’s strong commitments to multilateralism and a world … [Read more...] about Vietnam to play more active role at UN: PM
Vietnam to play more active role at U.N.: PM
At a meeting with U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed in New York on May 16 (local time), the PM stressed that the year 2022 is of great significance as it marks the 45th anniversary of Vietnam’s U.N. membership. Appreciating the U.N.’s valuable contributions and support to Vietnam over the past more than four decades, the PM asked Amina to convey his invitation to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other U.N. leaders to visit Vietnam this year to foster multi-faceted cooperation between the two sides. Chinh reiterated Vietnam’s strong commitments to multilateralism and a world order based on international law and the U.N. Charter, as well as the country’s support for the U.N.’s central role in the global administration system, saying it needs global, all-people, and comprehensive approaches to tackle common challenges like epidemics and climate change. Vietnam backs enhancing relations between the U.N., parliaments of its member countries and the … [Read more...] about Vietnam to play more active role at U.N.: PM
Measures put recovery on the front foot
Vietnam has risen in official pandemic recovery indices thanks to production continuity and vaccinations, Photo: Le Toan The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released in April its World Economic Outlook report, stating that global growth is projected to slow from an estimated 6.1 per cent in 2021 to 3.6 per cent in 2022 and 2023. This is 0.8 and 0.2 percentage points lower for 2022 and 2023 than projected in January. “Beyond 2023, global growth is forecast to decline to about 3.3 per cent over the medium term. War-induced commodity price increases and broadening price pressures have led to 2022 inflation projections of 5.7 per cent in advanced economies and 8.7 per cent in emerging market and developing economies - 1.8 and 2.8 percentage points higher than projected last January,” the report said. “Multilateral efforts to respond to the humanitarian crisis, prevent further economic fragmentation, maintain global liquidity, manage debt distress, tackle climate change, and end … [Read more...] about Measures put recovery on the front foot
North Korea reports more deaths, says taking ‘swift measures’ against COVID outbreak
North Korea said on Sunday a total of 42 people had died as the country began its fourth day under a nationwide lockdown aimed at stopping the country's first confirmed COVID-19 outbreak. North Korea's admission on Thursday that it is battling an "explosive" COVID-19 outbreak has raised concerns that the virus could devastate a country with an under-resourced health system, limited testing capabilities and no vaccine programme. State news agency KCNA said the country was taking "swift state emergency measures" to control the epidemic, but there is no sign that Pyongyang was moving to accept international offers of vaccines. "All provinces, cities and counties of the country have been totally locked down and working units, production units and residential units closed from each other since the morning of May 12 and strict and intensive examination of all the people is being conducted," KCNA reported on Sunday. A day earlier North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the spread of … [Read more...] about North Korea reports more deaths, says taking ‘swift measures’ against COVID outbreak