The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) handed over 1,600 sets of cold boxes attached with temperature monitoring devices to the National Institute of Health and Epidemiology (NIHE). This support package was procured through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and worths around 100 million JPY (roughly 20 billion VND).

The cold boxes -RCW25- manufactured by B Medical Systems, will be used for delivering vaccines nationwide. They are attached with temperature monitoring devices to ensure the ideal vaccine storage temperature of 2°C to 8°C throughout the entire transportation and vaccination process.

Vietnam is currently running the largest ever vaccination campaign in its history, and the cold boxes, as essential equipment provided by the biggest procurer of vaccines in the world - UNICEF, will help to get vaccines to remote areas.

Speaking at the handing-over ceremony, Prof. Dr Dang Duc Anh – Director of NIHE said: "To date, Vietnam has administered 96 million doses of vaccine and now we are promoting the vaccine campaign all over the country. The Government of Japan has supported Vietnam with 4,080,000 vaccine doses. These cold boxes will be used effectively for transporting vaccines to central, provinces and districts. On behalf of Ministry of Health and NIHE, I would like to express heartfelt thanks to Japanese friends”.

JICA Chief Representative Shimizu Akira said:"Vaccination is currently progressing in urban areas such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and I hope that this support will help promote vaccination campaigns in other localities across the country in the near future".

Since July 2021, JICA has launched a cooperation project with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for “Capacity Building for Preparing and Responding to COVID-19 Pandemic in Border Provinces of Vietnam”. In fact, a number of illegal immigrants infected with coronavirus have contributed to community COVID-19 outbreaks in the country. In the provinces bordered with Cambodia and Laos namely Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Tay Ninh, An Giang and Dong Thap, activities of the project are now being implemented to strengthen the capacity of government employees in investigating and monitoring infectious diseases. The project also provides personal protective equipment and hand disinfection equipment necessary for border control. The support worths 20 million JPY (roughly 4 billion VND).

JICA will continue to work with the Government of Japan to support Vietnam in controlling the COVID 19 pandemic.