Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son (centre) symbolically presents the assistance from the Party, State, and people of Vietnam to Laos at the ceremony at Wattay International Airport on May 4 (Photo: VNA)

The support consisted of USD500,000 in financial aid and medical supplies, including 2 million medical face masks, 200 ventilators, and 10 tons of the Chloramine B disinfectant.

Notably, the flight from Hanoi also carried 35 Vietnamese experts sent to help Laos in the fight.

On this occasion, the Party Central Committee Commission for External Relations, the Vietnam - Laos Cooperation Committee, and the Government Office of Vietnam also presented the Laos partners with 50,000, 500,000, and 20,000 medical masks, respectively.

A hand-over ceremony was held at the Wattay International Airport in the capital city Vientiane, during which Lao Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune appreciated the precious assistance from the Vietnamese Party, State, and people to the Lao counterparts.

He described the aid as a meaningful and timely contribution to Laos’ efforts to combat the pandemic, and also a source of support for the health workers and patients in the country.

The Lao Deputy Prime Minister, who is also head of Laos’ central committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, also stressed that Vietnam is the first country to provide financial, personnel, and material support for his country in the latest outbreak, which strongly reflects the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam.

Vietnam Airlines regularly joins in transporting Vietnam’s aid to support COVID-19 prevention activities in diverse countries in the world, such as the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, China, Laos and Cambodia. The total amount of medical goods Vietnam Airlines transports free-of-charge since 2020 is nearly 100 tons./.

Compiled by BTA