Despite initial success in controlling the pandemic, by the end of August 2021, Ho Chi Minh City had seen a total of 420,000 COVID-19 cases since the devastating “fourth wave” began in April. In the face of this rapid spike, most public-sector hospitals switched to treating COVID-19 patients exclusively. One of the biggest challenges was that hospitals lacked sufficient respiratory medical equipment and personal protection equipment for doctors and front-line health workers. To lend support, John Swire & Sons’ Vietnam Representative Office partnered with other businesses, as well as The Rotary Club Saigon, to donate 8,000 N-95 medical masks to two hospitals treating the most severe patients, as well as 10 oxygen concentrators, which filter and concentrate oxygen molecules from the ambient air. As part of the campaign, the Rotary Club also raised over US$200,000 to fund 150 machines.
JS&S Vietnam is proud to have played a small but important role in supporting the city through this crisis.
