Prof. Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS
Dr. Shashank Joshi, Dr. Suresh, Dr. Panda from India
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Tuan, Director, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi
Dr. Son, Dr. Thai and Dr. Dat from Vietnam.
I welcome a distinguished panel of doctors from India and Vietnam joining us today at this webinar.
I would like to thank our Consul General Dr. Madan Mohan Sethi and INCHAM Vietnam for taking the initiative to hold this Webinar today. This is part of the series of events that we are doing to mark the 75th anniversary year of India’s Independence, what we call “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
Today’s event has a special significance given its relevance and topicality in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that we are currently faced with. In India we had a serious second wave earlier this year. Vietnam is currently going through its fourth wave of the pandemic.
Today’s discussion is, therefore, a very timely exchange of views between our medical experts who are at the frontline of dealing with the pandemic.
COVID-19 is a global challenge and therefore requires a global response. This makes the case for international cooperation in managing the pandemic even stronger.
India and Vietnam have maintained close consultations on the management of COVID-19. Our leaders have had regular exchanges through telephone and video calls. At experts’ level, we have had our military medical departments engage with each other. Just last week, our two Ministries of Health had a very useful online interaction and exchange as part of the institutional bilateral Joint Working Group where they shared best practices in pandemic management.
India and Vietnam have also extended mutual support to each other in the fight against COVID-19. When India was facing a serious pandemic situation earlier this year, the people and Government of Vietnam generously supported us with medical supplies. This was greatly appreciated by the people of India. Now that Vietnam is going through a similar crisis, the people and Government of India are making their best efforts to support Vietnam with critical supplies such as oxygen. Indian pharmaceutical companies are also providing many important lifesaving drugs to Vietnam.
Our communities have also stepped forward to help each other which shows that the human connection remains the foundation of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This also shows the long tradition our two countries have of standing with each other during difficult times.
Just two days ago, we have taken our cooperation in dealing with COVID-19 to a new practical level. One of our premier biotechnology centres, called the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, or THSTI, signed an MOU with the Vietnamese company Nanogen which is developing one of Vietnam’s own vaccines, NanoCovax. Under the MOU, THSTI will provide assistance for testing and assessing the immunogenicity of NanoCovax, which will provide critical inputs for Nanogen to seek emergency use authorisation for the vaccine.
Today’s event is an important part of these exchanges, particularly since we are having eminent experts and representatives of frontline hospitals in both India and Vietnam joining over a common platform to hold a dialogue on the COVID-19 management.
I hope that this event will enable our Vietnamese friends to learn from India’s vast clinical experience as well as medical advancements and breakthroughs achieved in the course of our fight against COVID-19.
As a country of 1.3 billion people, India’s successful management of COVID-19 pandemic holds great value for the international community. We are happy that today’s event will provide us an opportunity to share some of that experience with Vietnam.
With these words, I once again thank you for joining us and hope that today’s discussions will be insightful and valuable for both sides.
Thank you.
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