Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called on AstraZeneca to accelerate the transfer of proprietary drug manufacturing and vaccine technologies to Vietnam while hosting a reception in Hanoi on March 5 for Nitin Kapoor, Chairman and General Director of AstraZeneca Vietnam.

PM Chinh expressed his appreciation for AstraZeneca and Kapoor’s practical and effective support during Vietnam’s battle against COVID-19 pandemic. He spotlighted the company’s delivery of 30 million vaccine doses ahead of schedule and at a reduced cost, despite global supply chain disruptions.

Beyond healthcare, AstraZeneca has invested nearly 100 million USD in Vietnam’s pharmaceutical sector and committed 50 million USD to forest and landscape restoration. The company has also collaborated with the Ministry of Health on various initiatives and contributed 1.2 billion VND to support disaster relief efforts following Typhoon Yagi.

At the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF), AstraZeneca and Kapoor provided timely feedback, recommendations and insights from the foreign business community to the Vietnamese Government.

PM Chinh stressed that Vietnam is further improving its business climate and reforming administrative procedures to reduce time and costs for enterprises. To achieve sustainable development goals, the Vietnamese Government remains committed to fostering deeper cooperation with foreign investors.

He urged AstraZeneca to continue investing in Vietnam, transferring technology, and bolstering the country’s vaccine and pharmaceutical industries, and public health care, while expanding its contributions to forest restoration, social welfare and assistance for vulnerable communities.

Praising the Vietnamese Government’s decisive and effective leadership during the pandemic, Kapoor expressed his gratitude to Vietnam, calling it his second home, and commended the nation's efforts and resilience in development, as well as its target of over 8% economic growth this year.

He agreed with the host’s proposals and expressed his desire to strengthen collaboration with Vietnamese partners, especially the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

AstraZeneca will continue accompanying Vietnam on its path to realise set goals, he said, adding that through afforestation and biomass energy projects, carbon credit initiatives and public health campaigns focused on disease prevention and early detection, the company will support Vietnam’s sustainable development, GDP growth and net-zero emissions./.