60-day comprehensive audit of pharmaceutical and medical equipment management and business
Translated from Vietnamese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Vietnam's Government Inspectorate has launched a comprehensive 60-day audit into the management and business practices of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.
- The audit will cover the Ministry of Health and related agencies and enterprises from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2025, with the possibility of examining earlier or later periods.
- Officials acknowledge existing limitations, including reliance on imports and potential violations in licensing, bidding, and pricing, which could affect public health and patient rights.
Vietnam's Government Inspectorate has initiated a broad, 60-day audit focusing on the management and business operations of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. The investigation encompasses the Ministry of Health, along with several other relevant agencies and enterprises. The audit period officially spans from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2025, though the inspection team may extend its review to include matters arising before or after these dates.
Dược phẩm và thiết bị y tế là lĩnh vực có vai trò đặc biệt quan trọng đối với công tác chăm sóc sức khỏe người dân, đồng thời là thị trường có quy mô lớn, liên quan đến nhiều chủ thể từ cơ quan quản lý đến các đơn vị sản xuất, nhập khẩu, phân phối và cơ sở khám chữa bệnh.
A 21-member team, led by Nguyen Tuan Anh, Director of the Department of Inspection, Complaint Resolution, and Anti-Corruption in Health and Education, will conduct the audit. At the announcement ceremony, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen pledged full cooperation, assuring that all necessary documents and information would be provided to the inspection team. He emphasized the ministry's commitment to adhering strictly to the audit decision.
Dù công tác quản lý nhà nước thời gian qua đã có nhiều chuyển biến, cơ quan thanh tra cho rằng lĩnh vực này vẫn còn những hạn chế như năng lực sản xuất và cung ứng thuốc, vật tư y tế chưa đáp ứng đầy đủ nhu cầu, còn phụ thuộc nhiều vào nguồn nhập khẩu.
Government officials highlighted the critical importance of the pharmaceutical and medical equipment sector for public healthcare and its significant market size. While acknowledging improvements in state management, the inspection authorities pointed out persistent limitations. These include insufficient domestic production and supply capacity for medicines and medical supplies, leading to a heavy reliance on imports. Furthermore, the audit aims to address concerns about potential violations in various stages, such as licensing, procurement, pricing, circulation, and sales of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. Such issues could undermine effective state management and compromise citizens' rights to healthcare.
Dù công tác quản lý nhà nước thời gian qua đã có nhiều chuyển biến, cơ quan thanh tra cho rằng lĩnh vực này vẫn còn những hạn chế như năng lực sản xuất và cung ứng thuốc, vật tư y tế chưa đáp ứng đầy đủ nhu cầu, còn phụ thuộc nhiều vào nguồn nhập khẩu.
Originally published by Tuổi Trẻ in Vietnamese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.