Religious organizations join hands to contribute to victory over the pandemic

Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President and General Secretary of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, National Assembly Delegate of Dien Bien province, spoke at the discussion session on the afternoon of May 29.

With the goal of fighting the epidemic, ensuring the health and safety of the people is the top priority; no one is left behind; the strategy of both fighting the epidemic and recovering and developing the economy, the whole country has united, unanimously, and focused all resources to fight the epidemic. In which, in addition to material resources that can be weighed, measured, and counted, immaterial resources, spiritual resources, patriotism, love for others as for oneself, the healthy leaves covering the torn leaves in the Vietnamese cultural tradition are invincible strength and endless resources.

“As the Party and State leaders have affirmed: "The people's contribution to the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic is extremely great, cannot be weighed, measured, or counted. It is also the sentiment of compatriots, a sense of responsibility, a fine tradition of the nation, which needs to be recognized, commended, and honored" - Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien shared.

Responding to that spirit, monks, nuns, Buddhist followers, pagodas, and monasteries have strictly implemented regulations and measures to prevent the epidemic. The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has called for social consensus in implementing social distancing immediately after the Prime Minister's directive on social distancing. Pagodas have temporarily suspended all activities with large crowds, stopped organizing festivals, ceremonies, and retreats; called on and encouraged monks, nuns, and Buddhists to actively contribute resources to the Covid-19 Vaccine Fund; purchased medical equipment to support medical facilities such as masks, medical protective clothing, disinfectants, ventilators, oxygen tanks, negative pressure rooms, ambulances, medicine for patients... and hundreds of tons of rice, vegetables, and fruits.

Many monks, nuns and Buddhists have volunteered to "Take off their cassocks and join the fight against the epidemic" and volunteered to go to the front lines, serving at field hospitals, such as: Hospital No. 10 in Thu Duc City; Hospital No. 13 of Viet Duc Hospital in Binh Chanh District; Hospital No. 16 of Bach Mai Hospital in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City; Field Hospital of Thai Nguyen Central Hospital in Long An Province; admission areas and hospitals in Binh Duong and the southern provinces. Many pagodas are used as centralized quarantine areas to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic.

In addition, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has participated in the implementation of the International Humanitarian Relief Program due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic in Laos, Cambodia, India, and Nepal, including: food, essential food, medical equipment and supplies. Thereby enhancing the position and image of the country and people of Vietnam to international friends.

"It can be said that the material and spiritual contributions of religions are a significant resource demonstrating the spirit of living a good life, the tradition of engaging in the world, and accompanying the nation in all historical circumstances" - Venerable Thich Duc Thien, National Assembly Delegate of Dien Bien province commented.

Contributing to the topic of monitoring the mobilization, management and use of resources for the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, the implementation of policies and laws on grassroots health care and preventive medicine, Venerable Thich Duc Thien suggested that it is necessary to perfect the mechanism and laws on mobilizing people to participate in epidemic prevention and control and natural disaster prevention and control in emergency cases. Mobilized resources for epidemic prevention and control and natural disaster prevention and control need to be focused from the reception stage to the allocation stage. At the same time, it is necessary to focus on improving the capacity of both facilities and expertise of the medical staff at grassroots health care levels to ensure timely, quick and effective response when an epidemic occurs.

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