Lộc Hà District Hospital in Central Hà Tĩnh Province. — Photo doisongphapluat.com

Male, 68-year-old and expecting?

If you’re a guy, did you ever think a doctor would look at your symptoms and chalk them up to pregnancy complications? 

Before you say no, keep in mind: that precise diagnosis recently came in to a 68-year-old man in Hà Tĩnh’s Lộc Hà District. The man felt breathless, and his daughter-in-law took him to the district’s Central Hospital October 10. After examining his blood pressure and breathing, the doctors sent him to the General Hospital for further treatment.

When the patient arrived at the new hospital, he carried with him a paper announcing the previous doctors’ diagnosis: high blood pressure due to asthma and pregnancy complications.

Because he is well past the age of menopause, and--more importantly--because he is a he, the 68-year-old’s diagnosis caused some shock. 

The confusion ended a few days ago, after General Hospital head Võ Viết Quang admitted it was a mistake. Apparently, staff members entered the wrong code when documenting his symptoms. A staffer meant to type I10 (the code for high blood pressure), but instead printed ICD 10 (the code for pregnancy’s complications) and printed off the diagnosis for future records. 

Because he isn’t pregnant, the old man can celebrate with a drink (as long as he monitors his blood pressure). 

Too many managers spoil the broth

Normally, a manager makes decisions, manages things and delegates roles to a team of underlings. To make this system work, the number of managers in an office or an agency is always fewer than staff. 

Well, not always. According to reports, the Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Department of northern Hải Dương Province has a total of 46 persons. Notably, the department has 44 managers and only 2 staff.

Some managers are tasked to do nothing but send letters. Other lucky leaders boil water and prepare tea for their fellow bosses.

The news has drawn a lot of criticism from almost everyone who isn’t a manager at the Department’s Hải Dương office, which will soon receive an investigation from authorised agencies to clarify the news.

Too much of anything is bad!

Off brand, not off limits

The Ministry of Science and Technology has an appetite for destruction. Last Friday, they threw an event to shred over 2,300 counterfeit goods, including bags, wallets, belts illegally-labeled with luxurious brands such as Hermes and Louis Vuitton.

The faked goods were seized two years ago. Because investigators had a lack of evidence to prosecute the case, the ministry eventually decided to destroy all the exhibits by cutting them.

Many people were invited to the event, including the ministry staff, relevant authorised agencies, reporters and journalists.

Here’s the problem: where the Ministry had an appetite for destruction, the event’s guests had an appetite for faux Hermes. The conference was supposed to end after the Ministry listed reasons to destroy the fake goods, but the event didn’t stop there. Instead, guests began to rush up and grab the loot. Chaos insued, as the moralizing conference became overrun with wanna-be pirates.

A representative from the ministry said it often asks police to help destroy the goods. This time, the ministry did not, because it thought the presence of local media would keep anyone from looting on camera.

Apparently not. — VNS