The manufacturing hub hosts large factories but has struggled to upgrade its grid, a key step to satisfy demand and lure companies diversifying from China and elsewhere.
The move comes as Vietnam strives to become more self-sufficient, obtain advanced gear that Russia can't provide and faces Western pressure to reduce arms purchases from Moscow.
The U.S. government is opposing the reform because it has concerns about the WHO's ability to confront future threats, including from China.
Legal concerns add new hurdles to fighting the virus since unvaccinated people offer an ideal environment for it to mutate and threaten hard-won immunity around the world.
The pace of research highlights the pressure on governments and public health authorities to decide quickly whether they need to take strict steps to curb omicron's spread.
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) has largely allocated doses among its members according to population size — regardless of their vaccination coverage.
A large portion of the funding being requested is needed to buy tests, oxygen and face masks in poorer nations.
A document shows that the WHO considers annual boosters for high-risk individuals as its "indicative" baseline scenario, and boosters every two years for the general population.
By prioritizing their own diplomatic and commercial interests, wealthy nations have in effect wrecked COVAX's ambition to take overall charge of the global fight against the pandemic.
The EU's ambivalence stems partly from short supplies and a slack start to the COVAX program, but also from concerns that the EU's efforts will go unnoticed in a vaccine diplomacy war.
