UNDP Resident Representative Caitlin Wiesen hands over the surgical masks to representatives from the Ministry of Health, April 12, 2020. (Photo: UNDP Vietnam)

UNDP Resident Representative Caitlin Wiesen congratulated Vietnam for its success in combating COVID-19, with more than half of the patients having fully recovered.

The UNDP has been working closely with relevant ministries and UN organizations to support Vietnam’s response to COVID-19, as part of its mission to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and build resilience to crisis and shocks, she said.

In the longer term, the UNDP will look at innovative ways to support Vietnam to better prevent and manage such crises and ensure the country makes full use of the lessons learned from this crisis to build back better, she added.

The UNDP is working with the Ministry of Health and the WHO in the communication campaign 'Spreading the word – #LeaveNoOneBehind' to reach out to ethnic minority people and people with disabilities. The campaign promotes COVID-19 prevention messages through animation and other communication means in ethnic minority and sign languages.