House sanctions government’s $640-mln demand for Covid fight

By Anh Minh September 22, 2021 | 09:40 pm PT

A medical staff examines a Covid-19 patient in HCMC's District 8. September 21, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

The National Assembly has approved the government’s request for VND14.62 trillion ($640 million) to combat Covid-19 amid growing demands to speed up vaccination.

The money will come from budget cuts made this year. Lawmakers voted Thursday to give VND2 trillion to HCMC, and VND500 billion each to Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces.

They account for the largest number of Covid-19 cases in the fourth wave that began in April.

The government needs VND36-40 trillion for anti-pandemic activities, including VND16.07 trillion for vaccination out of the budgeted VND28.5 trillion to vaccinate 80 million people this year, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc said Wednesday.

If the pandemic prolongs and the country needs to repeat vaccinations every year, the expenses would increase, he said.

So the government should earmark around VND54 trillion for Covid-19 expenses, also including contributions from businesses and the public, he said.

On Wednesday 11,525 new Covid cases were reported against the average of 10,465 in the last seven days.