Director of Nghe An Department of Health: Difficulties in bidding for medical supplies due to price appraisal problems

On the morning of December 8, at the 11th session of the 18th term Nghe An Provincial People's Council, Director of Nghe An Department of Health Duong Dinh Chinh responded to delegates' opinions reflecting on the lack of medicine and medical supplies in medical examination and treatment.

Overview of the discussion session in the hall on the morning of December 8. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Thanking the provincial People's Council delegates and voters for their concern, worries, concerns, and encouragement for the health sector in the past time, Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh admitted that the problem of lack of drugs, equipment, and chemicals in medical facilities is a common reality, even in some central hospitals, as well as 11 provinces and cities that are currently very alarming about the lack of drugs, chemicals, and medical supplies. The Ministry of Health has held many different meetings to resolve the issue, but clearly there are still certain shortcomings.

For Nghe An up to this point, the Director of the Department of Health affirmed that the drug shortage is only local in nature, almost all essential drugs are fully supplied; at the same time, it is convenient to be able to coordinate drugs between medical facilities in a reasonable manner. The drug shortage mainly falls on some specialized drugs or drugs that contractors do not import.

However, anticipating difficulties in 2023, mainly due to objective reasons, the Department of Health has sent all plans of all units (hospitals) to the Provincial People's Committee for approval of the contractor selection plan. The drug package concentrated at the Department of Health is about to open for bidding, and it is expected that the new bidding package will be implemented on January 1, 2023.

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh - Director of Nghe An Department of Health explained at the discussion session in the hall on the morning of December 8. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Regarding supplies, the Director of Nghe An Department of Health admitted that there are specific difficulties, especially specialized supplies.

He cited that recently, the Provincial General Hospital lacked stents for cardiovascular patients. The reason was that in 2021, about 1,600 patients needed stents. According to the hospital's plan, in 2022, stents were ordered to meet the needs of about 2,500 patients; however, by the end of November and the beginning of December 2022, they were out of stock.

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh said: This stent shortage issue was relatively easy to handle in the past, but now it is very difficult to borrow because it is no longer allowed. Currently, the hospital is using humanitarian funds to temporarily purchase emergency implants for patients; or contact other provincial hospitals to transfer patients in time. In the next few days, the Provincial General Hospital will open a stent bidding package.

Citing the above evidence, the Director of the Department of Health said: The difficulties in bidding for medical supplies are due to the complicated process, involving many departments and branches, so it is very difficult for the health sector to be proactive, in which the most difficult is related to the price appraisal stage because few businesses participate in price appraisal. For example, in the past, in Nghe An, there were 4 price appraisal businesses, but now there is only 1 business left, but it can only appraise a few basic bidding packages.

Along with that information about chemicals and medical supplies.The information on the Ministry of Health's Information Portal is also incomplete, making it difficult to consult prices for appraisal.

Delegates attending the working session on the morning of December 8. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Anticipating these difficulties, the Health sector has proactively handled the work within its authority. Starting from the second quarter of 2022, a bidding plan has been developed for all units; at the same time, it has regularly followed up and grasped the difficulties of all units to promptly direct their resolution.

The Department of Health has also had solutions to improve bidding capacity such as: Organizing training courses for medical staff doing bidding work, building bidding templates for medical units.

The Department has also established 10 expert teams and assigned tasks to each expert team in charge of specific units to closely follow medical units and assist them in the bidding process; and sent documents to relevant departments and branches.

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh also said that after the 11th Session, the 18th Provincial People's Council will continue to issue a document requesting the Provincial People's Committee to direct relevant departments and branches to take drastic action and be responsible to the Provincial People's Committee for the bidding of drugs and medical supplies in the coming time.

The leaders of the Department of Health also proposed establishing a centralized bidding center to bring the bidding for drugs and consumables to a single point, as Kien Giang, Ho Chi Minh City, Thai Nguyen... have done to reduce the burden on medical staff, helping them perform their professional duties better.

It is forecasted that in the coming time, the health sector will certainly face many difficulties and challenges due to overlapping or impractical policies and legal documents, so it will take time to amend. The Director of the Department of Health hopes that the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee will continue to pay more attention to the direction and management work; need the support and assistance of departments, branches, sectors, as well as localities; especially need the attention, encouragement and sharing of the Provincial People's Council delegates and voters of the province so that the health sector can complete its tasks well.