Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense has begun the final stage of training for a group of soldiers before sending them to South Sudan for United Nations peacekeeping missions.

The Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of National Defense coordinated with the Military Hospital 175 to commence the last training phase of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 3 in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday.

This was an important part of the preparations in terms of the hospital’s operation, command, and management capacity, as well as professional protocol.

Following the training, 63 staff members of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 3 will be sent to South Sudan in the first quarter of 2021 to join international peacekeeping forces.

In the context of the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the training requires great efforts of the Military Hospital 175 and staff members of the field hospital, according to Major General Nguyen Hong Son, director of the hospital.

“We have to perform our duty in battling the COVID-19 pandemic while engaging in training in accordance with strict requirements of the United Nations,” he said.

Vietnam began participating in international peacekeeping missions in October 2018, said Major General Hoang Kim Phung, director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

The Southeast Asian county has sent two field hospitals with 126 soldiers to South Sudan to provide medical services, as well as taking care of and treating thousands of patients.

“The training will last for multiple days, with special attention paid to COVID-19 prevention and response. After that, the staff of Level-2 Field Hospital No. 3 will be fully capable of replacing field hospital No. 2,” Phung stated.

The term of field hospital No. 2 has been extended for nearly five months due to the pandemic, and during the extended time, the hospital has not been supplied with materials and equipment from the UN for its operation, said Deputy Defense Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!