Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh (Photo: Internet) Hanoi (VNA) – Ensuring safety for Vietnamese staff working at UN peacekeepingmissions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic is the first and themost important task amid the complicated development of the COVID-19 pandemic inthose two countries, according to Deputy Defence Minister Senior LieutenantGeneral Nguyen Chi Vinh.
In an interview granted tothe Vietnam News Agency on the situation of Vietnamese peacekeeping staff at themissions, Vinh, who is head of the Defence Ministry’s Steering Committee on Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations, said the Central Military Commission, theDefence Ministry and the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Controlin the army attach great importance to protecting the Vietnamese peacekeepersfrom the epidemic.
According toVinh, every officer, including those who have no medical backgrounds, has been providedwith knowledge about disease prevention. The Level-2 Field Hospital No2 hasbeen equipped with ventilators and medicines. The Defence Ministry hasallocated 2 billion VND (85,900 USD) to buy medical supplies for the hospital.
Asked about whether the pandemic affects Vietnam’splan on deploying peacekeeping personnel, the Deputy Minister said the COVID-19outbreak has deeply impacted the UN peacekeeping activities, prompting it todefine again the tasks of the force, which are no longer only preventing war andengaging in post-war reconstruction, but also coping with non-traditionalsecurity challenges, including epidemics.
He added thatthe pandemic also affected the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces. In such acontext, Vietnam should on one hand continue to well perform its presentduties, and on the other hand follow the UN’s latest moves in the field inorder to make preparations for the time ahead.
DeputyMinister Vinh reported that after more than half a year operating in SouthSudan, Vietnam’s Level-2 Field Hospital No2 has treated nearly 1,000 cases,including one suspected case of COVID-19. All the patients have been cured.
He affirmed thatthe UN appreciated the outcomes and measures to fight COVID-19 undertaken bythe field hospital not only for the hospital itself but also for Vietnamese andUN staff in Bentiu, South Sudan. /.
In an interview granted tothe Vietnam News Agency on the situation of Vietnamese peacekeeping staff at themissions, Vinh, who is head of the Defence Ministry’s Steering Committee on Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations, said the Central Military Commission, theDefence Ministry and the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Controlin the army attach great importance to protecting the Vietnamese peacekeepersfrom the epidemic.
According toVinh, every officer, including those who have no medical backgrounds, has been providedwith knowledge about disease prevention. The Level-2 Field Hospital No2 hasbeen equipped with ventilators and medicines. The Defence Ministry hasallocated 2 billion VND (85,900 USD) to buy medical supplies for the hospital.
Asked about whether the pandemic affects Vietnam’splan on deploying peacekeeping personnel, the Deputy Minister said the COVID-19outbreak has deeply impacted the UN peacekeeping activities, prompting it todefine again the tasks of the force, which are no longer only preventing war andengaging in post-war reconstruction, but also coping with non-traditionalsecurity challenges, including epidemics.
He added thatthe pandemic also affected the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces. In such acontext, Vietnam should on one hand continue to well perform its presentduties, and on the other hand follow the UN’s latest moves in the field inorder to make preparations for the time ahead.
DeputyMinister Vinh reported that after more than half a year operating in SouthSudan, Vietnam’s Level-2 Field Hospital No2 has treated nearly 1,000 cases,including one suspected case of COVID-19. All the patients have been cured.
He affirmed thatthe UN appreciated the outcomes and measures to fight COVID-19 undertaken bythe field hospital not only for the hospital itself but also for Vietnamese andUN staff in Bentiu, South Sudan. /.
VNA
