HCMC – The Ministry of Health has reported to the Government many regulatory bottlenecks in purchasing medical devices and suggested ways to resolve the matter.

This follows the severe shortage of medical materials and devices plaguing many hospitals nationwide, said the ministry today, February 24.

Specifically, the Ministry of Health proposed the Government report to the National Assembly to revise the Law on Pharmacy to have a special mechanism for reserving drugs for treatment.

According to the ministry, they need clarification on how to prepare a decision on purchase and purchasing estimates of medical devices, as the current regulations have no detailed guidance.

Moreover, hospitals are now required to have at least three quotations for reference in preparing the cost of an auction package, failing which they cannot be given the authorization to make their own decisions in purchasing estimates of medical devices for regular use.

Additionally, the purchasing authority provided in Decree 63 guiding the Law on Auction and Decree 151 detailing the Law on Use and Management of Public Property must be consistent, according to the ministry.

The ministry also stated that the including of medicines and single-used medical devices in the public properties as regulated in the Decree 151 made them hardly determine their usage rates for purchasing.