Army offers a helping hand in COVID-19 prevention and control

According to the Military Medical Department under the General Department of Logistics, the standing unit of the Defence Ministry’s Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the military has implemented 175 quarantine sites with nearly 217,000 people quarantined and more than 201,000 having completed the isolation period.

In addition, around 12,000 military officers are on duty at over 1,800 posts along the borders to prevent illegal immigration. The military’s medical sector has also mobilised its forces and vehicles, in readiness for the pandemic prevention work.

Currently, the military is activating its pandemic prevention system at the highest level, preparing its concentrated quarantine sites for F1 cases and its field hospitals with sufficient equipment and medical supplies.

The Ministry of Defence promptly directed the Military Medical Academy, the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre, the Military Institute of Preventive Medicine, the 354 Military Medical Hospital and related military medical forces to support Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces in conducting COVID-19 testing on workers at industrial parks in the two provinces.

The Military Zone 1 has deployed its forces and means of transport to provide timely support to localities, particularly the two above-mentioned provinces, in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic.

The General Department of Logistics in coordination with Military Zone 1 have implemented measures to ensure proper working and living conditions for the military medical forces, who were sent to the pandemic-hit areas.

Medical military officers are also providing training for local medical staff in their work, particularly in preparation for the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly (NA) and all-level People's Councils for the 2021-2026 term.

Notably, on the night of May 18 to 19, representatives from the Ministry of Defence, and the General Department of Logistics, worked overnight to set up two field hospitals in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh province, providing emergency aid and treatment for COVID-19 patients. Each hospital has a capacity of 300 beds and is ready to increase this to 500 beds if needed.

As the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly (NA) and all-level People's Councils for the 2021-2026 term is predicted to take place amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19, the Ministry of Defence is working to enhance the role and capacity of local armed forces, strengthening measures to support localities to prevent the spread of pandemic, handle existing pandemic clusters, and soon stabilise the situation, particularly in Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces.

Following the spirit of “fighting the pandemic like fighting an enemy”, the army, especially military medical staff and border guards, will continue upholding their vanguard role, taking the lead with all assigned tasks while strengthening coordination with localities and functional forces to help people in the fight against COVID-19, contributing to promoting the positive image of Uncle Ho's soldiers in the new era.