The former director of Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital and seven other people have been accused of price gouging medical equipment.
(From left to right) Nguyen Quoc Anh, Nguyen Ngoc Hien and Pham Duc Tuan. — Photo thanhnien.vn
Police, under the Ministry of Public Security, want to prosecute the group over alleged ‘abuse of power and position’.
Nguyen Quoc Anh was the director of the Hanoi hospital when the alleged wrongdoings took place.
Also accused are Nguyen Ngoc Hien, former vice director of Bach Mai Hospital, Trinh Thi Thuan and Ly Thi Ngoc Thuy, former chief accountant and deputy head of Finance at the hospital, Pham Duc Tuan and Ngo Thi Thu Huyen, director and deputy director of BMS Medical Technology Joint Stock Company (BMS), Tran Le Hoang, an appraiser from the Hanoi Valuation and Financial Services JSC (VFS) and Pham Minh Dung, former director general of VFS.
According to the investigation agency, the actions of former leaders of Bach Mai Hospital and BMS as well as the appraisal unit, have resulted in an increase in the cost of medical examinations and treatment.
In July 2009, Anh was appointed Director of Bach Mai Hospital. In order to enhance prestige for the hospital and increase income for health workers, Anh has set up specialised surgery departments.
It is alleged Tuan met Anh to discuss providing a robotic system to the hospital with the price of VND39 billion and VND44 billion for two pieces of robotic equipment.
At the meeting, Anh is alleged to suggest that Tuan create a joint venture project to install the devices at the hospital.
Tuan is accused of assigning his staff to work with Hoang and Dung from VFS to legalise the robot valuation certificate while Anh directed his subordinates to complete relevant documents
During the implementation process, Anh and some former staff members of the hospital did not comply with state regulations.
All eight people accused reached an agreement to issue an illegal valuation certificate determining that the price of one robot be VND39 billion.
The suspects inflated the purchase price of the robot system to VND39 billion (US$1.7 million) from its market value of VND7.4 billion ($319,000).
The investigation agency concluded that Anh played the main role and the remaining suspects were his accomplices.
During the investigation, the accused were made aware of the criminal acts and have returned the money that they illegally appropriated.
Tuan has returned VND10 billion while Anh handed in VND100 million and US$10,000 and Hien returned VND150 million.
VNS
