Talking to reporters after a meeting on the morning of February 25 chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha about removing problems related to the procurement of medical equipment, testing chemicals, diagnostic biologicals, and consumer products. Hao, medicine, Health Minister Dao Hong Lan said that when the Government issues Resolution 144, Decree 98 at the end of February and beginning of March, it will help remove difficulties and obstacles for the health sector, to do better work. health care services for the people.
– Reporter: Mr. Minister, can you tell us about the specific efforts of the Ministry of Health in recent years to untangle the obstacles and difficulties of the medical sector, especially the shortage of drugs and the shortage of medical supplies. equipment, medical equipment?
– Minister Dao Hong Lan: It can be confirmed that from 2022, in hospitals as well as in the market, there have been a number of situations related to drug shortages, lack of medical equipment and supplies. To solve this problem, right from 2022, the National Assembly, the Government together with the Ministry of Health and ministries and branches have made great efforts and efforts.
Through our analysis and assessment related to the shortage of drugs, medical supplies and equipment, there are both objective and subjective causes. After 3 years of fighting the COVID-19 epidemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has affected the supply of drugs, medical supplies and equipment on the world market in general, including Vietnam.
In addition, after the COVID-19 epidemic, the number of people going for medical examination and treatment increased dramatically, so the planning and bidding work of medical facilities were sometimes unable to meet the needs of the public. this spike in demand.
The second is the subjective cause that the regulations related to the procurement of drugs, medical supplies and equipment have a lot of governing legal documents, from the Law on Bidding, the Law on Prices, the Law on Public Property, Law on Pharmacy to Decrees guiding below. When problems are related to institutions, there will be problems that we can correct and adjust immediately. But there are problems that must lie in the process of amending the Law and Decree with a long time.
In the recent implementation process, there were also many violations related to the procurement of drugs, medical supplies and equipment. Therefore, having to review and re-evaluate to deploy and do it correctly is also one of the things that need to be done, so that we can buy it, but also must meet the provisions of the law. the law. There are also some cases that have caused anxiety among the procurement staff, especially, for the team of doctors who do not have financial expertise when they have to carry out this task. Therefore, in the implementation process, there are also bottlenecks and delays.
To date, some problems have been resolved. For example, in the past time, the National Assembly has passed Resolution No. 80, allowing the Ministry of Health to extend the time for registration of drug circulation to meet the quantity of drugs supplied in the market. After Resolution 80 was issued, the Ministry of Health immediately implemented and extended registration for nearly 9,000 drug items. The Ministry of Health has also submitted to the Government to amend the Law on Pharmacy, which contains regulations to meet the needs of drugs in the market.
The third problem is Ministry of Health together with ministries and branches, are continuing to focus on revising a series of Decrees and Circulars, as well as consulting with ministries and branches to amend related documents. For example, the Ministry of Health has been very active in coordinating with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to include content related to specific regulations for the health sector in the process of amending the Bidding Law. This content will be submitted to the National Assembly for approval in the near future, so there are no immediate solutions to solve the immediate problems. Regarding the Law on Price, the Ministry of Health has also actively coordinated with the Ministry of Finance to implement this issue.
In addition, the contents related to the Government’s decrees such as “Decree 98 on equipment management”, “Decree 46 on issues related to health insurance payment”, regulations related to Decree No. Decree 151 and other documents have also been discussed and actively revised by the Ministry of Health together with ministries and branches to deal with immediate situations.
From November 2022, the Ministry of Health submitted to the Government to issue Resolution 144 to reduce urgent problems in practice. Accordingly, in the past time, Resolution 144 can be said to be a life-saving document, helping the health sector to solve problems related to borrowed and placed machines… In the context, our budget If the conditions are not enough for comprehensive investment in the health sector, the issue of mobilizing social resources to meet the needs of machines for medical examination and treatment for the people is very urgent and has been done. the past 10 years now. At the end of 2022, Vietnam Social Security has paid more than 4,500 billion VND related to solving outstanding debt problems for hospitals and medical facilities.
Under the direction of the Government, the Ministry of Health has actively reported to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the sector, to review and re-evaluate after 3 months of implementing Resolution 144. Thereby, analyzing If there are problems in practice that have not been resolved, further instructions are required.
While legal documents have not been issued, we have sent documents to hospitals and local Departments of Health to re-evaluate Resolution 144. Opinions of Bach Mai Hospital, Viet Duc Hospital or Cho Ray Hospital in recent years is also implemented under the general direction of the Ministry of Health. From there, assess difficulties and obstacles to report to the Government, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan
The results of today’s meeting, as well as the concluding comments of the Prime Minister yesterday at the Meeting on Deployment of the Health Sector’s 2023 Tasks, have shown the tasks that we need to focus on. . In particular, there are 2 issues that are still being solved immediately. The first is the problem of machinery, to ensure that the people’s testing and treatment needs are met. This content has been specified in Resolution 144, however, for machines that have only been transferred to contract after November 5, 2022, they are not included in this Resolution. We will continue to advise the Government so that within 12 months, the contracted machines must also be used to meet the immediate needs of medical examination and treatment. This content will be included in Resolution 144.
The second is problems related to problems in the process of implementing bidding packages or regulations related to 3 quotations, problems in the process of implementing regulations on Bidding Law, Decree 63 or Decree No. are Decree 151 and Circular 68 of the Ministry of Finance, the Government and the Prime Minister will also allow the Ministry of Health to coordinate with ministries and branches to synthesize those problems to include in Resolution 144. This is a very necessary solution and needs to be focused right now. The Ministry of Health has prepared the contents and will agree with the ministries and branches to submit it to the Government at the beginning of next week, to consult the Government members and solve the issues issued in the coming time.
The Ministry of Health has also actively revised Decree 98 issued in 2021. During the implementation process, we have discovered problems that need to be amended. And right from 2022, the Ministry of Health has coordinated with ministries and branches to synthesize solutions. By the end of 2012, the Ministry of Health had submitted to the Government to amend Decree 98. If Decree 98 (amended) is issued, problems such as shortage of drugs, equipment and medical supplies will be solved. decide quickly. The Ministry has also asked the Government to agree to amend this Decree 98 in a shortened form, which means that after the Government issues it, Decree 98 (amended) will take effect immediately. Up to this point, Decree 98 has been consulted by members of the Government and relevant ministries and branches twice and has basically met the issues that need to be resolved. This Decree can be issued in February 2023 and problems related to problems and lack of medical supplies will automatically be solved in practice.
With the highest determination and the highest responsibility to the people, the Ministry of Health, along with the drastic direction of the Government and the Prime Minister, will join the ministries and branches to implement these contents as soon as possible. so that pressing issues, hot issues of the people are gradually solved.
– Reporter: As the Minister just shared, can you confirm that in late February to early March 2023, problems, especially related to shortage of drugs and medical supplies, will be resolved?
– Minister Dao Hong Lan: The Deputy Prime Minister has made a very clear conclusion. There are things we must correct in the Law and there are things we must correct in the Decree. Things included in the Government’s Resolution 144 will solve hot issues and problems. The contents directed by the Deputy Prime Minister have been absorbed by the Ministry of Health together with other ministries and branches. Right now, ministries and branches are continuing to work to submit to the Government a draft of the revised Resolution 144 tomorrow and ask for comments from the Government members to issue it at the earliest time.
On behalf of the staff of the health sector, who directly perform the task of examining and treating people, I hope and hope that members of the Government, ministries and branches will support the health sector. very specific. When the Government issues Resolution 144 at the end of February and the beginning of March, it will help remove difficulties and obstacles for the health sector, so that we can do better in serving health care for people. people.
– Reporter: Thank you Minister!./.