Hessen state and the Messer Group GmbH of Germany on July 15 presented 160,000 rapid COVID-19 test kits worth 500,000 EUR (590,300 USD) to help Viet Nam in the fight against the pandemic.

COVID-19 testing (Photo: VNA)

During a handover ceremony held in Hessen state, Viet Namese Consul General in Frankfurt Le Quang Long received the token of 130,000 test kits from President of the Hessen State Parliament Boris Rhein and another token of 30,000 test kits from CEO of the Messer Group Stefan Messer.

Long said his believes that with the Viet Namese Government’s stringent and effective policies in battling the pandemic, along with consensus and support of the Viet Namese people and international friends, the country will soon bring COVID-19 under control.

For his part, Rhein highlighted Hessen state’s traditional friendship with Viet Nam, with the Viet Nam-Germany University (VGU) viewed as a lighthouse project of the sides, saying that both sides have paid attention to and helped each other in times of hardship.

When Germany faced a scarcity in face masks in early 2020, the Viet Namese people promptly presented more than 100,000 masks to the European country, he recalled.

Rhein took the occasion to express his gratitude to Dr. Kambiz Ghawami, Executive Chairman of the World University Service (WUS) non-governmental organisation, for connecting the aid provision; and national flag carrier Viet Nam Airlines for transporting the assistance to Viet Nam free of charge.

The Messer Group, specialising in industrial gases, has operated in Viet Nam in nearly 25 years, with six plants and two others being in the pipeline.

Ghawami previously called on all 16 German states to support Viet Nam to combat COVID-19. The first batch of aid containing over 190,000 test kits from the states of Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Sachsen-Anhalt arrived in Viet Nam in late June.