Close relationship: Saxony-Anhalt supplies 30,000 rapid coronavirus tests to Vietnam

Willingmann commits to providing the tests on the sidelines of a Bundesrat session

Solidarity in a crisis: When face masks were in short supply in Germany in the spring of 2020, Vietnam provided all the federal states with a total of 100,000 masks at short notice free of charge. Saxony-Anhalt received 6,250 of the masks, which were used in social welfare facilities and in care homes for the elderly. Saxony-Anhalt can now repay this gesture of solidarity. Against the background of the latest wave of coronavirus infections in the south-east Asian country, the state has provided Vietnam with around 30,000 rapid antigen tests with a total value of 18,000 euros as part of its development cooperation program.

Minister for Economy Professor Armin Willingmann committed to supplying the tests in a meeting on the sidelines of the Bundesrat session with the ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, H.E. Dr. Nguyen Minh Vu. Willingmann said: “Saxony-Anhalt has historically had a close relationship with Vietnam particularly in areas such as business and research. In the light of the high case rate there, we have taken fast action and provided a large number of rapid tests which will arrive in Vietnam in less than a week. I am pleased that other federal states are taking part in this campaign and supporting the people of Vietnam during this crisis.” The minister also thanked Dr. Kambiz Ghawami from the World University Service (WUS) for his involvement as a mediator and organizer.

Rapid antigen tests were also supplied by Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Bremen and Hamburg, as well as Saxony-Anhalt. As a result, a total of 300,000 test kits were sent to Vietnam.

Source: mw.sachsen-anhalt.de