Hanoi(VNA ) – Vietnam’s national COVID-19 vaccine fund was launched at a ceremony in Hanoi on June5 evening, in the attendance of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

In his remarks, Chinh said the fund was established tomobilise social resources for the purchase and import of vaccines as well asfor research, development and production of domestic vaccines.

Though Vietnam has been one of the most successfulcountries in the world at containing the COVID-19 pandemic as evidenced by lowinfection and death rates, the pandemic is still evolving with new strainsfirst found in India and the UK behind the recent surge of domestic cases in Vietnam.

In order to return life to normal, the Party and Stateset the goal to administer free vaccines to all people to soon achieve herdimmunity, considering it a fundamental, long-term, strategic and decisivesolution to get rid of the pandemic, he said.

The Government leader said that the consensus of thepeople is key to beat the pandemic and return to a normal, peaceful, and safelife.

He urged subordinate levels to promptly createfavourable conditions for all individuals and organisations to makecontributions to the fund.

As of 8pm on June 5, the fund, which was approved bythe Government on May 26, had received 1.036 trillion VND (45 million USD).

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Minister of Finance HoDuc Phoc said his minstry, which is in charge of the vaccine fund, hasestablished a management board for the fund at the State Treasury and opened abank account to receive support from individuals and organisations inside andoutside the country.

The fund is a precious and important resourcefor the country to fight the pandemic and continue socio-economic development, he said.

According to Phoc, Vietnam needs 150 million doses ofvaccines to administer about 75 percent of its population this year, with totalcost amounting to 25 trillion VND./.