The Vietnam National Pagoda in District 10, one of the pagodas that the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in HCMC is seeking permission to use as a Covid-19 field hospital - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC - The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in HCMC announced on July 22 that it has written to the municipal government proposing using certain pagodas as temporary field hospitals for Covid-19 treatment and quarantine facilities for Buddhist monks and nuns.

Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Deputy Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Chairman of the Executive Council of the HCMC Buddhist Sangha, has sent a document to the city’s leaders and the Department of Health asking for permission to use the Vietnam National Pagoda in District 10 and the Pho Quang Pagoda in Tan Binh District as Covid-19 treatment hospitals for Buddhist monks and nuns.

He said this will help reduce the strain on hospitals and medical centers in the city given the rising number of new infections.

If the city’s leaders and the Department of Health approve the proposal and agree to provide medical equipment and health workers for the pagodas, the HCMC Buddhist Sangha will cover all the accommodation and transportation expenses.

The Most Venerable also suggested the municipal authorities pay attention to vaccinating the Buddhist monks and nuns who are participating in charitable activities to support the city’s Covid fight.

At present, the HCMC Buddhist Sangha is providing more than 30,000 meals a day for medical workers and people at quarantine centers and Covid-19 treatment hospitals. Many monks and nuns are voluntarily taking care of Covid-19 patients at field hospitals across the city.

If approved by the local authorities, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in HCMC will quarantine Buddhist volunteers at its facilities if they are infected with Covid after joining social programs.