Vietnam ‘Rice ATM’ goes beyond borders to 10 Southeast Asian countries
	Rice ATM helps Vietnam’s poor survive COVID-19 pandemic
	HUFO handed over rice ATM and supported rice to people in difficulties due to Covid-19 epidemic

Every day, the ATM offers about 300 face masks to the local people and visitors (Photo: the qdnd.vn)

Dr. Tran Thanh Dinh, Vice President of Lam Dong Medical College, said on May 18 that since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Vietnam, masks and antiseptic solutions have become increasingly scarce and expensive.

In Da Lat City, people and tourists have found it difficult to buy medical masks, albeit in small quantities (from 10 to 20 pieces). Agencies and offices also face many difficulties in finding disposable medical masks to distribute to officials, employees and people in need.

According to Dinh, students and teachers as well as staffs of the school have actively taken part in the COVID-19 fight with many practical activities, such as spraying disinfectant, presenting free face masks and antiseptic liquid to the school’s students, lecturers and local people.

Face mask ATM in Da Lat, Lam Dong (Photo: tienphong)

Nevertheless, due to the shortage and expensive cost of medical equipment, the school's teachers, students and staffs decided to produce medical masks and antiseptic liquid by themselves.

With their acquired knowledge and experience, making face masks and antiseptic liquid is not a difficult job.

Lam Dong Medical College produces anti-bacterial masks by itself (Photo: tienphong)

Reportedly, each medical mask consists of five layers, including an activated carbon layer and extract of Cuban oregano with bactericidal effect. The main material for mask production used paper for filter tea bag production (which have been sterilized) to easily decompose and be environmentally friendly.

The medical mask is made by Lam Dong Medical College (Photo: tienphong)

Two days after the Executive Board of the school's Youth Union Organization of Lam Dong Medical College decided to implement the program, the first “Face Mask ATM” came into being.

The special machine is placed in front of the school’s gate with a free antiseptic hand washer at No.16, Ngo Quyen Street, Da Lat city.

The ATM offers about 300 face masks to the local people and visitors every day and the ATM has been operating for more than a week now.

Students receive free-of-charge masks from the "ATM" (Photo: tienphong)

Medical masks given freely to officials, employees and people in need (Photo: lamdong.gov)

The meaningful activity of the school has both contributed to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and promoted the beautiful image of Da Lat city.

"Free mask ATM has never been seen anywhere as the one in Dalat. There is also an antibacterial hand washing machine nearby so it's convenient and safe. I visited the Domaine de Marie church nearby and forgot to bring a mask. I was trying to find a place to buy a mask then was told to take masks freely at this "ATM" by the locals" said Pham Bich Lien, a tourist from Da Nang City.

Doctor Dinh said that this "ATM" provided 1,000 masks a week on average and would "release" the masks continuously until Vietnam announced the end of the COVID-19 epidemic.

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