The HCMC Party Committee on January 30 which falls on the 28th day of the last month in the lunar calendar held a meeting to pay tribute to volunteer drivers and medical transportation services that helped those in need during the pandemic.

Attending the event were Secretary of the Party Committee of HCMC Nguyen Van Nen, Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Council Nguyen Thi Le and Vice Secretary of the City Party Committee Nguyen Ho Hai.

Speaking at the meeting, the HCMC Party Chief expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to drivers who participated in transporting Covid-19 patients, essential goods, and medical equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic, making a great contribution to the city’s fight against the virus.

He honored models of emergency transport services operated by Mai Linh Group, Vietnam Sun Corporation, Phuong Trang FUTA Bus Lines Corporation, Hoan My Group, Xuyen Viet (Trans-Vietnam) 115 Emergency Transportation Company, Sai Gon 115 Emergency Center; and charity groups of Charity group Oxy Community Station, oxygen ATMs, Nhat Tam Charity Group and more.

Director of the 115 Emergency Center, Dr. Nguyen Duy Long said that the center received around 4,000 calls a day during the fourth wave of the pandemic. It was 30 times higher than normal. All employees of the center worked so hard every night and day but were unable to meet the growing demand at the height of the pandemic.

The center started recruiting new volunteers to solve the shortage of human resources and then received many participants in HCMC and provinces across the country.

Secretary of the Party Committee of HCMC Nguyen Van Nen (C) honors volunteer drivers and models of emergency transport services.

Secretary of the Party Committee of HCMC Nguyen Van Nen presents gifts to drivers.

Mai Linh Group offered more than 100 taxis with over 100 drivers and 212 volunteers to the 115 Emergency Center to provide free transport to patients while Phuong Trang provided 260 vehicles with 16-seat each. It has also converted them into ambulances to support localities carrying F0 cases and serious cases to hospitals. The vehicles equipped with medical supplies and medical staff accompanying the driver.

Speaking at the meeting, driver Pham Phuong Ba of Cho Ray Hospital expressed his thanks to the family that always supports him to complete the mission well.

Driver Dang Xuan Tung of Mai Linh Group said that he had not got any good night’s sleep for three- four months and usually left home for work for consecutive days. He took pride in his work that helped many people.