Director of Nghe An CDC informed about the purchase of biological products from Viet A company

Tien Hung• December 20, 2021 13:54

(Baonghean.vn) - Since the beginning of the epidemic, Nghe An CDC has purchased biological products, supplies, and chemicals worth 60 billion VND to serve the epidemic prevention work. Of which, supplies and biological products from Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company account for the majority, with about 28 billion VND.

On December 20, Mr. Nguyen Van Dinh - Director of Nghe An Province Center for Disease Control (CDC Nghe An), said that up to now, the unit has not received any information from the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate the investigation related to the price inflation of equipment at Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company.

Meanwhile, in the December 18 news of the Ministry of Public Security, it was reported that in relation to this case, the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency had conducted an emergency search of 16 locations in 8 localities, including Nghe An. According to Mr. Dinh, this information has caused some public opinion to misunderstand that Nghe An also committed violations and was therefore being searched and investigated.

“After reading the news, we were also surprised. However, after checking again, we learned that the location being searched was a hotel in Vinh City. Accordingly, an employee of Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company was arrested while staying there. It was not related to the Nghe An CDC purchasing supplies and biological products from this company,” said Mr. Dinh.

Xét nghiệm Covid-19 ở Nghệ An. Ảnh tư liệu

Covid-19 testing in Nghe An. Photo courtesy

The Director of Nghe An CDC said that, like 62 other provinces and cities, Nghe An has purchased supplies and biological products from Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company. Accordingly, since the beginning of the epidemic, Nghe An CDC has purchased biological products, supplies, and chemicals worth 60 billion VND to serve the epidemic prevention work. Of which, supplies and biological products from Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company account for the majority, with about 28 billion VND, the remaining 32 billion VND was purchased from the remaining units.

The materials and biological products that Nghe An CDC purchased from Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company were divided into 4 bidding packages. In addition to the 2 packages that were publicly bid, there were 2 designated bidding packages worth more than 18.5 billion VND. According to Mr. Dinh, the first designated bidding package was on July 15 and was purchased at 470,000 VND/1 test kit. The total value of this bidding package was more than 5 billion VND. The remaining designated bidding package was on October 31, purchased at 367,500 VND. The total value of this bidding package was more than 13 billion VND.

“At the time of the final bidding package, while many other provinces were still buying from this company at 470,000 VND/PCR test kit, Nghe An CDC was able to buy it for only 367,500 VND,” Mr. Dinh said, adding that the process of purchasing materials and biological products of Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company as well as other companies was in accordance with the correct process, order, and procedures.

Similarly, Mr. Tran Minh Tue - Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Health said that the Nghe An CDC's purchase of materials and biological products from Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company was carried out in accordance with regulations, procedures and order.

Previously, on December 18, the Investigation Police Agency (C03, Ministry of Public Security) announced that it had prosecuted Mr. Viet and a number of subordinates including: Ho Thi Thanh Thao (treasurer and store manager of Au Lac), Phan Ton Noel Thao (financial assistant), Tran Thi Hong (sales staff) to clarify the act of violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences.

For the same crime, C03 prosecuted Mr. Pham Duy Tuyen (Director of Hai Duong Center for Disease Control - Hai Duong CDC) and Nguyen Manh Cuong (former chief accountant of Hai Duong CDC). Mr. Tuyen was previously temporarily suspended from work by Hai Duong Department of Health to serve the investigation.

Defendant Phan Quoc Viet. Photo: Ministry of Public Security

According to the initial investigation, taking advantage of the urgent need for Covid-19 testing, products on the list of products subject to shortened bidding, Viet proactively supplied medical equipment, supplies, and biological products in advance for use by hospitals and CDCs in provinces and cities. Viet then colluded with CDC leaders to legitimize bidding documents by using legal entities in the system to prepare product bid documents, confirming false quotes much higher than production costs, authorities accused.

In order to be supplied with medical equipment and supplies in advance, consume large quantities, and settle payments at the prices proposed by Viet A Company, Viet also agreed to pay large sums of money to the leaders of purchasing units. In order to gain illegal profits and pay money outside the contract, Viet and the employees of Viet A Company inflated the prices of equipment and input materials, setting the selling price at 470,000 VND/kit.

C03 said it had clarified the violations in the sale of Covid-19 test kits by Viet A Company to Hai Duong CDC through 5 contracts with a total value of 151 billion VND. Viet also paid a percentage outside the contract to the Director of Hai Duong CDC with nearly 30 billion VND.