Hanoi (VNA) - Internationalpublic opinion has welcomed and highly valued Vietnam’s initiative to set up a national vaccine fund, which is part of the country’s efforts toeffectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fund was officially inaugurated on June 5,with an aim of mobilising social resources so as to facilitate the purchase andimportation of vaccines as well as the research and production of homegrownones.

Nikkei Asia has recently reported that the establishment of the fund plays a role in financing the vaccination drive, acrucial weapon in the country's battle against pandemic and to protectmanufacturing supply chains, which are a key economic engine for Vietnam.

According to Nikkei Asia, Europeanbusinesses said they are also keen to contribute to the fund.

It quoted Alain Cany, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham)in Vietnam, as saying “this is a very positive move, not just for Europeanbusiness but for Vietnam as a whole".

Meanwhile, Mary Tarnowka, executive director of the American Chamber ofCommerce in Vietnam (AmCham Vietnam), said that many members of AmCham Vietnamhave indicated willingness to help pay the cost of vaccinating their employees.

Representatives of international organisations in Vietnam have also lauded the initiative.

Dr Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Vietnam, said the mobilisation to improveaccess to COVID-19 vaccine of the Vietnamese Government is carried out in a timelymanner and in line with the global vaccine initiative.

The Government manages and equitably uses donations from individuals andprivate firms, and this is hoped to result in new values for the strategy tofight the ravaging pandemic, he added.

Meanwhile, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra affirmed that theinitiative has received support from the UN over the months.

Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti, head of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam,said the establishment of the vaccine fund has a significant role to play inVietnam’s strategy in battling COVID-19.

For her part, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesen expressedher belief that people from all walks of life, especially businesses willrespond to the Government’s call and make contributions to thenewly-established fund.

Through donations to the fund, Vietnamese communities in Laos, Cambodia,Russia, Switzerland, Germany, Australia and Egypt have showed their solidarityand responsibility in sharing difficulties faced by people in the homeland inthe fight against the pandemic.

Vietnam is projected to need 150 million doses of vaccine to inoculate about 75million people at an estimated cost of 25.2 trillion VND./.