Phnom Penh (VNA) - Representatives from the Embassy of Vietnam and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Cambodia on May 13 presented 4,000 antimicrobial face masks for the country’s detention centres. 

The support was in response to a call from the ICRC in Vietnam’s neighbour for medical supplies for detainees amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. 

Since the start of February, the ICRC in Cambodia has bolstered its support for the country’s General Department of Prisons’ efforts to curb the spread of the virus nationwide. The organisation has allocated roughly 230,000 USD to assist those facilities around the country.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, ICRC Protection Coordinator in Cambodia Chyngyz Rayimbekov underlined that the Embassy of Vietnam was among the first diplomatic offices in Cambodia to respond to the ICRC’s call. 

The relief will contribute to the fight against the pandemic in Cambodia, he said, adding that the Vietnamese Government has also presented medical supplies to many countries, including the US and European nations.

General Department of Prisons Director-General Chan Kimseng noted that Vietnam has effectively brought the pandemic under control, been recognised as a model for handling the disease, and earned high public confidence.  

The Embassy of Vietnam previously handed over a relief package of 60,000 masks and 300 protective suits from the Vietnam Red Cross Society to its Cambodian counterpart. 

In early April, Ambassador Vu Quang Minh presented medical supplies, including test kits worth 7 billion VND (300,000 USD) from the Vietnamese Government and people to their Cambodian friends./.