Prime Minister awarded the Friendship Medal to Ms. Aurélia Nguyen

New York Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presented the Friendship Medal to Ms. Aurélia Nguyen, Director of Strategy for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI).

The Vietnamese Government leader awarded the Medal to Ms. Aurélia Nguyen on the occasion of attending the High-level Debate of the 78th United Nations General Assembly on the morning of September 20 (late night of the same day Vietnam time).

The Friendship Medal of the State of Vietnam is to recognize and appreciate Ms. Aurélia Nguyen's important support for Covid-19 prevention, especially access to vaccine sources during the most difficult time of the pandemic.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh awarded the Friendship Medal to Ms. Aurélia Nguyen. Photo: Nhat Bac — Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh awarded the Friendship Medal to Ms. Aurélia Nguyen. Photo: *Nhat Bac*

Thanking Ms. Aurélia Nguyen, the Prime Minister asked GAVI and her personally to continue supporting Vietnam in accessing vaccines to prevent epidemics and building a strategy to improve expanded immunization and receive technology transfer for mRNA vaccines. He also hoped that she would connect with reputable foreign experts, organizations and businesses that are ready to cooperate and facilitate the transfer of technology and skills in producing biological products and vaccines to Vietnamese partners.

GAVI's strategic director said she was honored to receive the noble Medal from the State of Vietnam. She affirmed that she will continue to cooperate closely and effectively with the Vietnamese health sector through projects to deploy new vaccines in the Expanded Immunization Program for Vietnamese children, activities towards eliminating measles and rubella, improving the quality of vaccination, and supporting the cold chain for vaccine preservation.

Ms. Aurélia Nguyen, Director of Strategy Program of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), spoke after receiving the Friendship Medal from the State of Vietnam. Photo: Nhat Bac — Ms. Aurélia Nguyen, Director of Strategy Program of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), spoke after receiving the Friendship Medal from the State of Vietnam. Photo: *Nhat Bac*

Ms. Aurélia Nguyen is one of the important leaders in strategy and policy in the field of vaccines globally. She is French of Vietnamese origin and has a lot of affection for her homeland Vietnam. During the time of preventing the Covid-19 epidemic, she often had phone calls and exchanged letters with high-ranking Vietnamese leaders.

COVAX is a global partnership between GAVI, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). It brings together governments, academia, businesses, civil society, donors, and global health organizations to accelerate the end of the pandemic.

COVAX has provided Vietnam with more than 70 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines free of charge, far exceeding the COVAX commitment for Vietnam of 38.9 million doses. During the period when Vietnam is "fighting the pandemic like fighting the enemy", Ms. Aurélia Nguyen affirmed that COVAX will continue to accompany Vietnam in the fight against the pandemic by providing vaccines, providing technical support for vaccination, and coordinating the search for vaccine sources under a cost-sharing mechanism.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrived in New York to attend the high-level sessions of the United Nations General Assembly after concluding his activities in San Francisco and Washington. The Prime Minister's six-day working trip to the US (September 17-23) took place right after US President Joe Biden's visit to Vietnam.

Hoang Thuy

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