Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long inspects disease prevention work by border guards in Ha Tien

In Kien Giang province, which has land and sea borders with Cambodia, local authorities and border soldiers are focusing all resources and working closely with local residents to prevent illegal entry. The Ha Tien Guard Station maintains patrols around the clock.

Captain Truong Hong Luot, Head of the Armed Forces Team of the Station, said, 'Disease prevention is the job not just of the border guards but of all local people. We have told fishermen how to detect foreign boats and report them to the Border Guard.'

The An Giang provincial health sector has been asked to set up field hospitals in Chau Thanh district to ensure quarantine and treatment of COVID-19 cases. The local border guard, the army, and the police have set up task forces and everyone in border communes and districts are tightening disease prevention measures.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long on Sunday visited southwestern provinces to inspect disease prevention work. The Minister asked localities to tighten control of border gates and border crossings to prevent illegal entry and the risk of disease intrusion and be prepared for any situation. Localities have been ordered to develop scenarios for quarantine and lockdown to minimize the impact on people’s lives and economic activities.

Minister Long said, 'Localities need to take resolute disease prevention measures in line with the direction of the Government, the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Health. We need to prepare all necessary logistics and facilities and improve our capacity in testing, tracing, quarantine, and treatment to promptly respond to any cases. The more quickly we respond, the less impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the community.'