Da Nang’s manufacturing businesses are adopting flexible operations in efforts to navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 situation to ensure the continutity of production amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Da Nang’s manufacturing businesses are taking proactive steps to allow adaptability and flexibility in the face of new situations to ensure the continutity of production. Picture is taken at the March 29 Textile and Garment Joint Stock Company located in Thanh Khe district. Photo: KHANH HOA

Thuan Phuoc Seafoods and Trading Corporation has seen a number of COVID-19 cases for nearly one month, and infected workers have been off work due to COVID-19, thereby greatly affecting the company's production activities.

Mr Tran Van Linh, the Chairman of the Board of Directors Thuan Phuoc Seafoods and Trading Corporation pointed out the biggest challenge for the company as it finds very hard to hire seasonal workers to compensate for the temporary absence of contracted workers because of coronavirus.

In the past, the company could recruit from 300 to 400 seasonal workers a day but about 100 people now can be daily hired. In its efforts to ensure smooth and uninterrupted production, the company has focussed on re-arrange existing production lines to adapt to the temporary lack of workers due to COVID-19 in addition to giving high priority to expediting urgent orders to meet the urgency of request from its customers. The heed has been paid to negotiating with the company’s partners to extend their order delivery time amid a more complicated pandemic with the potential long-term impact of COVID-19.

Fujikura Automotive Vietnam Co., Ltd. located on Road No. 2, Hoa Cam Industrial Park, Cam Le District is in the same situation. The company has 2,400 workers but it has been forced to re-organise shift patterns and re-arrange the work among its employees to ensure the continutity of production due to a temporary lack of staffing.

Mr Huynh Van Chinh, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the 29-3 Textile and Garment Joint Stock Company stated that the company has witnessed a significant rise in the number of COVID-19 cases but infected workers have experienced only mild symptoms as most of the company’s workers have already received a total of three doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Mr Chinh remarked that the company has adopted proactive approach for production and COVID-19 control in the workplace to adapt to new situations. He also hopes that COVID-19 primary close contacts will be allowed to attend work in order to faciliate manufacturing businesses to ensure uninterrupted production.

Mr. Tran Van Ty, the Deputy Head of the Authority of the Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Parks raised concerns about post-COVID-19 symptoms suffered by workers, especially women, including sleep difficulties and hair loss after recovery. Therefore, the Authority of the Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Parks has worked with the Da Nang-based Police Hospital and mobile medical stations to give advice and provide best care for patients with post–COVID-19 conditions in an attempt to support manufacturing businesses to operate smoothly and effectively in the context of COVID-19.

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, manufacturing businesses in Da Nang are paying special attention to adopt proactive approach to production planning and COVID-19 management in addition to ensuring salaries and other benefits for their employees, as well as providing best care for workers with post–COVID-19 conditions after recovery in a bid to maximize their efficiency and productivity, and retain their employees.

Reporting by KHAN HOA – translating by H.L