What can the world learn from Vietnam?

Sunday May 3, 2020 20:30 PM (GMT + 7)

India’s Sunday Guardian published an analysis of Vietnam’s success in preventing the Covid-19 epidemic on May 2, and noted points where the world can learn from Southeast Asia.

Here is the full text of the analysis!

As of April 27, Vietnam had 270 cases of Covid-19, of which 200 were cured and there were no deaths. But the number of articles in international media that refer to Vietnam as a model of success in controlling the Covid-19 epidemic is not as high as in countries like Korea, New Zealand or Finland, regardless of the population of Vietnam (more than 95 million) than the three countries combined.

This is understandable because Korea, New Zealand, or Finland have long been famous for modern healthcare systems, including the ability to cope with infectious diseases.

Another important reason for this is financial resources. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Korea spends 8.1% of its GDP on health care. Vietnam’s figure is lower, at 5.6%. The fact is, to conduct large-scale Covid-19 testing, a country must be really strong in resources, especially in finance and technology.

This also means that Vietnam has no other choice and cannot afford to use the large-scale testing method used by South Korea or Germany.

So what helped Vietnam succeed in managing the Covid-19 disease crisis? Success is the result of a combination of many factors. However, one thing stands out in the case of Vietnam.

This is the “low-cost” Covid-19 anti-epidemic model, a word mentioned by the Financial Times in a recent article. Vietnam does not select large-scale tests and instead strictly monitors infected people and tracks close contacts of Covid-19 infected patients. Thanks to digital tools, health officials in Vietnam can easily identify and control potential risks.

Vietnam is highly appreciated by the world in preventing Covid-19. Illustrations

The “low cost” model, combined with two other lesser-known factors, brings certain bright spots. The first is a comprehensive, long-term investment in preventive medicine. In the public sector in Vietnam, a common motto is “Prevention is better than cure.” In fact, Vietnam is running two systems in parallel: prevention and treatment in all provinces and cities across the country. Vietnamese children are vaccinated against many diseases.

The second is Vietnam’s trusted medical team, both theoretical and practical. For example, the Center for Health System Research (CHSR) – Hanoi Medical University – is ranked 23rd in the world on the list of tips on health issues, according to a 2019 report from the University of Pennsylvania. (United States)

In terms of practice, the real evidence is that Vietnamese doctors have many opportunities to apply what they learn to real life because a large number of patients are (generally) hospitalized. Many doctors in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Japan choose Vietnamese hospitals as a place to hone their skills. Furthermore, the Covid-19 test kit made in Vietnam has been recognized by the WHO and meets the standards of the European Union (EU).

The joint efforts of the entire Vietnamese nation in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic have received praise from WHO. Mr. Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, said that Vietnam is controlling the Covid-19 epidemic well thanks to strong government guidance and unanimity of the people.

In fact, the Vietnamese government is not subjective with so-called “early” successes. Caution is maintained because “danger is still looming.”

The two main priorities are to guarantee people’s safety and health and to maintain the dynamism of the economy. The first priority, as stated by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, is the foundation of everything.

And the second priority is to guarantee resources for sustainable development. In 2019, Hanoi has a growth rate of 6.8%. Policymakers will want to keep the economic “engine” running at a time when Vietnam is trying to overcome the “middle-income trap,” a situation in economic development when a country achieves a certain level of average income (due to the available advantages) and stagnate at that level of income that cannot be exceeded. However, the Covid-19 pandemic is like a new challenge and the economy can only grow if this challenge is addressed.

In addition to internal focus, Vietnam diplomacy also extends to the world, but not only to “polish” the image. A recent guiding principle in Vietnam’s foreign policy is to make the country a “responsible member of the international community”.

In today’s closely connected world, giving is giving. That is why Vietnam has donated masks to the United States, the EU countries, Japan, India, China, Laos and Cambodia …

Vietnam has also proven to be a serious member of many regional and international organizations, both in peace and in crisis. As president of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2020, Vietnam has always called for urgent and active meetings with ASEAN member countries and various foreign associations (Japan, China). Korea, Korea) to debate and coordinate Covid-19’s anti-epidemic action. One of many more examples of Vietnam’s international responsibility is the donation of $ 50,000 to WHO.

Source: http: //danviet.vn/the-gioi/dai-dich-covid-19-the-gioi-co-the-hoc-duoc-gi-tu-viet-nam-1084731.htm …Source: http://danviet.vn/the-gioi/dai-dich-covid-19-the-gioi-co-the-hoc-duoc-gi-tu-viet-nam-1084731.html

On April 18, The Diplomat, one of the leading magazines analyzing the political and economic situation in Asia, …