HCM City sets economic recovery, pandemic prevention goals for 2022

HCM City authorities will continue to focus on supporting businesses and improving the business climate along with enforcing pandemic prevention and control measures as part of its economy recovery plan for 2022.

Speaking at the 10th HCM City's Party Committee conference on Wednesday, Nguyễn Văn Nên, secretary of the city Party Committee, said the fourth COVID wave severely affected socio-economic development in the city for most of the year.

“The city has suffered heavy losses, including a high number of deaths (nearly 18,000),” he said, adding that it had implemented lockdown measures for nearly five months.

The situation remains unpredictable in the country and around the world, he said.

Nên said the conference should focus on “strategic medical strategies”, including medical equipment, vaccines and medicine so that the city can live safely with the virus.

According to Nên, the city’s socio-economic situation remained positive in the first quarter of 2021, but slowed down in the second quarter and was hit hardest by the end of the year.

The city experienced negative yearly growth (minus 6.78 per cent) as opposed to six per cent, which was the original target for the year, according to Nên. The city is very likely not to meet all targets set for 2021.

Exports (excluding crude oil) increased by 2.8 per cent and imports by 24.9 per cent year-on-year.

The city’s total State budget revenue is likely to reach 100 per cent of the target by the end of the year, according to Nên.

Referring to reports about resignations of grassroots healthcare staff, Nên said it was important to find solutions and policies to support the medical force. “It is important to strengthen grassroots medical staff, community health, and maintain current mobile medical teams,” he said.

Nên honoured medical workers for their great support in dealing with the fourth wave. “Frontline forces made great contributions in controlling the outbreak in the city,” he said.

He said the main tasks for 2022 should be to “adapt safely; flexibly and effectively control the pandemic; improve the quality of urban government; support businesses; and improve the business climate”.