Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Medical equipment andmachinery used in hospitals across Vietnam require significant upgrades, andthe management for these expensive devices is currently lacking.
The issue received a lot of attention fromNational Assembly deputies during sessions held last month, especiallyfollowing a shocking incident where faults in maintaining and operating kidneydialysis machines caused eight deaths in the northern province of Hoa Binh inlate May.
However, the discussion mostly revolved aroundflawed policies and regulations that have caused significant losses for thestate budget.
Recent cases drawing public attention took placeat general hospitals in Hoai Duc and Thuong Tin rural districts of Hanoi.According to documentation, the automated biochemical analysis equipmentpurchased by the two hospitals was imported from Germany. In fact, the machinesturned out to be cheaper versions that were manufactured in China.
Recently released findings by the State Auditshowed that a lot of newly bought equipment has either fallen into a state ofdisrepair or sustained damage, rendering them unusable even before being putinto operation.
One of the most scandalous revelations was thefraudulent purchase of medical equipment in Gia Lai province in the CentralHighlands region: In the period between 2013-2015, the actual cost of medicalequipment, 5.6 billion VND (246,000 USD), was inflated to 16.7 billion VND (734,600USD) in falsified documents.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, in heranswers to inquiries at the NA meeting, confirmed the veracity of reports onbroken equipment, especially at provincial level public hospitals, andattributed this phenomenon to “being overused.”
However, many NA deputies were dissatisfied withthe Health Minister’s answers, which they deemed ‘ambiguous.’ NA deputies hopedthe government and the NA would soon arrive at appropriate measures to preventincidents relating to medical equipment and avoid mistakes that may come at thecost of patients, as modern equipment is a necessity but decisions need to bepractical and mindful of the budget situation.
Associate Prof. Pham Khanh Phong Lan, head of theHCM City Food Safety Management Board, also a member of HCM City NA delegation,said that due to the fact that the cost of medical equipment is drawn fromstate budgets, hospitals would try to get as much as possible. “Hospitals maysometimes say in reports that they need state-of-the-art and expensive devices,but the number of those capable of using such devices or the number of patientsactually in need of them are not enough, but if they don’t say they need itthis year then next year, the budget will be cut,” she said, adding that stateco-ordination must take into account these nuances to effectively manage stateresources and prevent waste.
Loose management
According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), inthe last 5 years, the number of applications for medical equipment imports hasbeen on the rise.
In 2011, there were 3,846 applications, twoyears later, the figure saw a slight increase to 4,025, but in 2015, the figurejumped to 5,099 applications.
In 2015, for example, the four major groups ofthe applications for medical equipment were intervention materials and implantdevices (26 percent), imaging medical equipment (20.7 percent), diagnosticdevices (16 percent), and resuscitation equipment (10 percent).
However, the Department of Medical Equipmentunder the Ministry of Health said it was not able to get hold of the longevityof the medical equipment imported into the country, since “the actual figurealso involves other sectors as well.”
The State Audit Office found that the Ministryof Health had not properly categorised medical equipment or chemicals accordingto types, technical standards appropriate to each medical service; and theMinistry had not established a database on bidding prices for medical centresin the country to be able to plan ahead.
Health Minister Tien said the MoH had submittedDecree 36 on managing medical equipment and purchasing procedures to the NAStanding Committee.
The regulations provided in this legislationwere claimed to be ‘relatively foolproof,’ with decentralised management takinga focus as well as more assessment of the usage of medical equipment at locallevels.
In addition, MoH has developed schemes like theestablishment of a Patient Safety Council at the ministry’s Department ofTreatment Management as well as in hospitals.-VNA
The issue received a lot of attention fromNational Assembly deputies during sessions held last month, especiallyfollowing a shocking incident where faults in maintaining and operating kidneydialysis machines caused eight deaths in the northern province of Hoa Binh inlate May.
However, the discussion mostly revolved aroundflawed policies and regulations that have caused significant losses for thestate budget.
Recent cases drawing public attention took placeat general hospitals in Hoai Duc and Thuong Tin rural districts of Hanoi.According to documentation, the automated biochemical analysis equipmentpurchased by the two hospitals was imported from Germany. In fact, the machinesturned out to be cheaper versions that were manufactured in China.
Recently released findings by the State Auditshowed that a lot of newly bought equipment has either fallen into a state ofdisrepair or sustained damage, rendering them unusable even before being putinto operation.
One of the most scandalous revelations was thefraudulent purchase of medical equipment in Gia Lai province in the CentralHighlands region: In the period between 2013-2015, the actual cost of medicalequipment, 5.6 billion VND (246,000 USD), was inflated to 16.7 billion VND (734,600USD) in falsified documents.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, in heranswers to inquiries at the NA meeting, confirmed the veracity of reports onbroken equipment, especially at provincial level public hospitals, andattributed this phenomenon to “being overused.”
However, many NA deputies were dissatisfied withthe Health Minister’s answers, which they deemed ‘ambiguous.’ NA deputies hopedthe government and the NA would soon arrive at appropriate measures to preventincidents relating to medical equipment and avoid mistakes that may come at thecost of patients, as modern equipment is a necessity but decisions need to bepractical and mindful of the budget situation.
Associate Prof. Pham Khanh Phong Lan, head of theHCM City Food Safety Management Board, also a member of HCM City NA delegation,said that due to the fact that the cost of medical equipment is drawn fromstate budgets, hospitals would try to get as much as possible. “Hospitals maysometimes say in reports that they need state-of-the-art and expensive devices,but the number of those capable of using such devices or the number of patientsactually in need of them are not enough, but if they don’t say they need itthis year then next year, the budget will be cut,” she said, adding that stateco-ordination must take into account these nuances to effectively manage stateresources and prevent waste.
Loose management
According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), inthe last 5 years, the number of applications for medical equipment imports hasbeen on the rise.
In 2011, there were 3,846 applications, twoyears later, the figure saw a slight increase to 4,025, but in 2015, the figurejumped to 5,099 applications.
In 2015, for example, the four major groups ofthe applications for medical equipment were intervention materials and implantdevices (26 percent), imaging medical equipment (20.7 percent), diagnosticdevices (16 percent), and resuscitation equipment (10 percent).
However, the Department of Medical Equipmentunder the Ministry of Health said it was not able to get hold of the longevityof the medical equipment imported into the country, since “the actual figurealso involves other sectors as well.”
The State Audit Office found that the Ministryof Health had not properly categorised medical equipment or chemicals accordingto types, technical standards appropriate to each medical service; and theMinistry had not established a database on bidding prices for medical centresin the country to be able to plan ahead.
Health Minister Tien said the MoH had submittedDecree 36 on managing medical equipment and purchasing procedures to the NAStanding Committee.
The regulations provided in this legislationwere claimed to be ‘relatively foolproof,’ with decentralised management takinga focus as well as more assessment of the usage of medical equipment at locallevels.
In addition, MoH has developed schemes like theestablishment of a Patient Safety Council at the ministry’s Department ofTreatment Management as well as in hospitals.-VNA
VNA
