At the event held by the HCMC Public Health Association, its chairman Dr. Le Truong Giang said that from late 2019 to June 2023, the Covid-19 pandemic broke out at most countries and territories in the world, with nearly 7 million deaths.
Vietnam saw over 11,6 million cases, with over 43,200 deaths.
As Covid-19 has passed and the lives of the people have returned to normal, everything that had happened during the pandemic may gradually be forgotten. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization and global pandemic prevention experts warned of the possibility of a new global pandemic breaking out, one that is more dangerous than Covid-19.
It is important to remember and scientifically assess the strengths and weaknesses of the implemented Covid-19 prevention and control solutions in order to create better action plans for tackling future pandemics and existing infectious diseases.
Supported by France’s Covid-19 Ad Memoriam Institute, the “Covid-19 Memories” program aims to collect and put together a database on Covid-19 prevention and control activities implemented in HCMC; carry out scientific researches to analyse their strengths and weaknesses; and propose action plans for tackling future pandemics.
The organising committee consists of experts and doctors in the fields of epidemiology and public health.
Professor Laetitia Atlani-Duault, president of the Ad Memoriam Institute, said she hopes that both parties would inspire and learn from each other's valuable experiences in combating epidemics. The ultimate goal of this collaboration is to preserve memories for better response to future health crises.
Gilles Angles, Attaché for Health and Social Development Cooperation under the French Embassy in Vietnam, said that the two countries have had decades of cooperation in healthcare, and the Covid-19 pandemic also demonstrated the solidarity between them.
He said that during Covid-19, Ho Chi Minh City was considered the "front line" of Việt Nam. Therefore, an initiative to document, analyze, and draw lessons from this experience is extremely necessary, and it can contribute to the world’s shared experience in building a more adaptable healthcare system..
The Covid-19 memorial park in Ho Chi Minh City. The “Covid-19 Memories” program was launched yesterday to better study the city’s pandemic prevention and control policies.
