The sum was donated by overseas Vietnamese (OVs), the Office of the Lao National Assembly, and staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.
Addressing the handover ceremony, Son said that the Vietnamese community abroad always pay attention and stand ready to support compatriots at home in the fight against COVID-19.
In addition to the aforementioned sum, OVs and close to 30 organisations and groups in the US, Canada and France, among others, have launched campaigns to support people in Vietnam, especially frontline forces, to combat the pandemic, the minister said.
As of June 16, OVs offered about VND5.3 billion to COVID-19 prevention and control efforts and the vaccine fund.
They also have presented medical supplies to health workers and people in Vietnamese localities.
For his part, Chairman of the VFF Central Committee Do Van Chien thanked the donors and pledged to distribute the aid in a prompt, open, transparent and effective manner, with a priority to vaccination for all people.
Previously, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Foreign Ministry handed over VND200 million, five tonnes of rice and other necessities to Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces, the country’s current largest COVID-19 hotspots.
