The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has decided to send the aid shipment to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) of Vietnam. It contributes to coping with severe acute respiratory caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Vietnam.
It includes biological products for rapid and accurate 2019-nCoV tests worth at 14 million Japanese yen (JPY). The first shipment of them worth at 2.3 million JPY was sent on February 7, 2020.
As of February 7, Vietnam confirmed the 12th coronavirus infection case. Until now, various anti-epidemic measures have been implemented by the Vietnamese Government.
Earlier, the Japanese Government supported Vietnam to control some pandemics such as SARS (2003), H5N1 (2004), etc. through 3 projects: a non-refundable aid project to install biosafety level 3 laboratory at NIHE (2006) and two technical assistance projects.
In addition, a Japanese doctor (JICA expert) who is now working in Cho Ray hospital (Vietnam) has provided reference materials for this hospital against the 2019-nCoV. Also in Cho Ray hospital, the first 2019-nCoV case was found on 23 January.