Minister of Health: 'Information about my resignation is fabricated'

Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien discussed and clarified issues raised by public opinion regarding the responsibility of the Ministry and the Minister personally in the VN Pharma case.

Recently, public opinion has been stirred up by some information about the Minister of Health's relatives participating in VN Pharma company, the Minister of Health receiving a villa worth 60 billion VND to intervene for this company to win drug bidding at hospitals, and VN Pharma importing fake cancer drugs bypassing the Drug Administration Department.

To broaden public opinion, PV talked with Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien.

“The land was bought 20 years ago, the house has been lived in for 10 years”

Dear Minister, previously, on August 24, in an interview with reporters, the Minister said that he was fabricated, slandered, and made up when social media spread the information: The Minister's brother-in-law and son joined the board of directors of VN Pharma Company. So what about the information that defendant Nguyen Minh Hung (former general director of VN Pharma) bought the Minister's family a 500 m2 villa worth nearly 60 billion VND in the Thao Dien villa area, District 2. What is the truth of this matter?

No one in my family is involved in this company. This is a small company, I did not know what it was like until the suspicious drug import case was reported by the Drug Administration and the Ministry proactively requested the competent authority at the Ministry of Public Security to clarify.

The information that I was given a villa next to my house is a fabrication to slander me and my family. Because there is no house behind my house as the internet has reported. Many places took pictures of the house I am living in and said that the defendant bought it as a gift, which is not true.

My family bought the house on Nguyen Van Huong street 20 years ago and built a house there for nearly 10 years now. The information that defendant Hung gave me a villa worth 60 billion VND is completely absurd, ridiculous, and fabricated. This information has been made up online to slander me before, and now, during the trial, they continue to spread it to cause loss of trust, with malicious intent... I really don't understand why people can make up such lies forever.

Although it is only a small company in the pharmaceutical industry according to the Minister, VN Pharma has won bids to supply drugs to many central and local hospitals (mostly in Ho Chi Minh City) with more than 476 billion VND in 2014. There is information questioning whether the Minister received "huge" commissions from these deals. What does the Minister say about this information?

I do not intervene or have any influence or interest in drug bidding. The Ministry of Health has dozens of public service units... VN Pharma wins bids mainly in many localities; according to decentralization, the local Department of Health evaluates the documents and procedures when businesses participate in bidding for drugs and medical equipment. The Ministry does not intervene in drug bidding in provinces and cities.

Even in Ho Chi Minh City, how could I know about a small company like VN Pharma, and I also have no authority to intervene like that. There is a lot of management work in the Ministry, the subordinate units must also be decentralized in management, have someone in charge, how could I manage it all, let alone a private company with no brand in the pharmaceutical industry.

So VN Pharma is not a backdoor or has any interests related to the Minister and his family?

I affirm that this company has nothing to do with my relatives. I also did not interfere or favor in bidding as rumored online.

All this information comes from abroad, they want to distort, tarnish the image and situation in the country in general and the Ministry of Health in particular. They even set up a website to defame me.

But the truth is only one, if I do anything wrong, I will take responsibility. But they keep spreading rumors, fabricating, and making up stories to cause trouble in the health sector, with a clear motive for causing trouble.

What is the Minister's opinion on the testimony about paying billions of dong in commissions to doctors to sell drugs to hospitals?

I have requested clarification on this matter, this is wrongful and unethical, causing financial burdens for patients. The Ministry of Health will strictly handle cases of medical ethics violations related to commissions.

This is also something I am very concerned about and the Ministry will continue to take strict measures to handle those who use the medical profession to profit, act in violation of medical ethics, and violate the law.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said that her family bought the land in the house she is living in 20 years ago and built the house 10 years ago.

"The Ministry will handle it seriously when there is a final conclusion"

How has the Ministry of Health handled the officials of the Drug Administration Department in the appraisal team so far when at the trial on August 25, the People's Court requested the investigation agency to continue clarifying the responsibilities of Mr. Nguyen Tan Dat (Deputy Director of the Drug Administration Department), Mr. Pham Cong Chien (Head of Pharmaceutical Business Management Department, Head of Legal Department), Ms. Le Thuy Huong (specialist) - who are in the appraisal team, responsible for appraising the legality of the documents and import orders for H-Capita 500 mg Caplet of VN Pharma. Because the above officials did not detect that Austin Company (Hong Kong) - the unit selling drugs to VN Pharma had expired its operating license?

To be more specific, it was the Drug Administration that discovered the import of fake cancer drugs by VN Pharma. After granting the import license, many suspicious documents and papers were found to be fake, so they checked and reported to the leaders of the Ministry of Health to seal all of these cancer drugs pending clarification. Because the Drug Administration promptly discovered and reported to the leaders of the Ministry of Health to seal this batch of drugs, not allowing them to be sold on the market, the Ministry proactively requested the Ministry of Public Security to investigate and clarify this batch of cancer drugs.

Relevant officials at the Drug Administration Department reported that because they saw the low price of the drug, they became suspicious and checked the records. They sent the records for verification and discovered the case of falsifying the drug origin records.

The Ministry also requested the competent investigating authority to determine and clarify the roles and responsibilities of individuals involved in the Drug Administration Department when licensing the imported drug batch. After completing the investigation, the investigating agency issued a document recommending the Ministry of Health to handle and correct shortcomings in drug business management.

Regarding the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, as soon as the incident regarding the above batch of drugs was reported, I asked the relevant officials and leaders of the Drug Administration Department to report and review to clarify related responsibilities. Many officials have been transferred to other positions pending handling.

After the final court ruling, the Ministry will handle individual responsibilities related to the case when there is sufficient basis to conclude that there is a violation.

What about the leaders of the Drug Administration, specifically Deputy Minister Truong Quoc Cuong, who is also the Director of the Drug Administration, will the Ministry of Health consider the responsibility related to the batch of fake cancer drugs that the Prime Minister requested the Ministry to report, Minister?

I have said that, pending the final verdict of the court and relevant prosecution agencies, the Ministry will consider the responsibility of individuals and organizations involved. If there is sufficient basis for violations, they will be strictly handled. I emphasize that: Whoever makes a mistake will be responsible for the specific violations they have caused.

What about the information that the Minister sent a resignation letter to the Prime Minister?

That is nonsense, fabrication, and made-up information. There was a lot of information like that about my resignation before. I am very angry and remorseful about the VN Pharma incident. I have also directed relevant units to strictly implement regulations in drug management and drug bidding and will strictly handle units and individuals involved in violations... to ensure that the health sector meets the needs and best serves the health of all people.

According to Vietnamnet.vn