Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital arrested
Mr. Nguyen Tri Dung - Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital, was arrested on charges of wrongdoing in choosing expensive lenses, causing damage to patients and insurance.
On November 24, the Investigation Police Agency (C01, Ministry of Public Security) said that it hadprosecute, temporarily detained Mr. Dung and 3 subordinates: Phan Thi Bich Hanh - Head of Finance - Accounting Department; Nguyen Do Nguyen - Head of General Department and Luong Ngoc Tuan - Deputy Head of Ophthalmology Department.
All four people are being investigated for the crime of "ViViolating bidding regulations causing serious consequences"according to Clause 3, Article 222 of the Penal Code. The decisions have been approved by the Supreme People's Procuracy.
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| Defendants Nguyen Tri Dung (left) and Phan Thi Bich Hanh. Photo: Ministry of Public Security |
This is the latest development after 11 months of investigating violations at the Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital. In this case, C01 has prosecuted Director Nguyen Minh Khai and two deputies Vo Thi Chinh Nga, Phi Duy Tien and Nguyen Quoc Toan - former Head of the Department of Surgery, Anesthesia and Resuscitation, to investigate the crime of "Violating bidding regulations causes serious consequences",according to Article 222 of the Penal Code.
Four former leaders of this hospital were accused of causing damage to patients who came to have their lenses replaced and the Health Insurance Fund, totaling more than 14 billion VND.
The investigation agency accused that in 2018, Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital implemented a bidding package for the procurement of monofocal artificial lenses for medical examination and treatment. Some hospital leaders violated bidding regulations, rejecting the artificial lens with the lowest bid price to buy the one with the highest bid price but equivalent quality. Of which, the artificial lens CT Asphina 509M costs 3.1 million VND each; CT Asphina 509MP costs 3.6 million VND; CT Lucia 601PY costs 3.4 million VND; CT Lucia 201P costs 2.95 million VND.
According to the investigation agency, the violations of the hospital leadership group caused the Health Insurance and patients to pay more for treatment. Of which, the Health Insurance Fund lost more than 5 billion VND, patients with health insurance lost more than 7 billion VND, and patients without insurance lost nearly 2 billion VND.
After a long investigation, on October 16, authorities issued a notice calling on individuals and victims in the case to contact the investigation agency to resolve the matter according to regulations.