The Bình Thuận General Hospital. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thanh

BÌNH THUẬN — The Bình Thuận Province Investigation Police Agency has launched criminal proceedings for 'violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences' at the Bình Thuận General Hospital and Bình Thuận Centre for Disease Control (CDC), which happened during the pandemic.

The decision to launch a prosecution, following other criminal cases also involving bidding for COVID tests, has been approved by the provincial People's Procuracy.

It follows a report confirming criminal activity at the hospital and CDC related to the purchase of real-time PCR testing systems, COVID-19 testing kits, and chemicals from the Việt Á Technology Joint Stock Company and the Hợp Nhất Science Co Ltd during the period 2020-2021.

The hospital allegedly purchased equipment, medical supplies, biological products and testing kits during the pandemic, costing more than VNĐ71 billion (US$2.7 million) and involving 20 bidding packages. The implemented contract value was nearly VNĐ69 billion ($2.6 million).

After determining signs of the crime under Clause 3, Article 222 of the Penal Code, and based on Article 36, Article 143, Clause 1, Article 153, and Article 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the provincial police began legal proceedings.

The CDC purchased medical equipment, supplies, biological products and testing kits for pandemic prevention and control with more than VNĐ198 billion ($7.6 million) and 53 bidding packages. The contract value was more than VNĐ190 billion ($7.3 million).

Regarding the Việt Á Company, in that period, Bình Thuận Province spent more than VNĐ130 billion ($5 million) to purchase the company's test kits.

Earlier this year, in February, the provincial police prosecuted a criminal case of "violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences" at the Bình Thuận General Hospital.

This case involves the hospital purchasing equipment and ventilators supplied by the Minh Khoa Medical Equipment Co Ltd in 2020.

They included the 2020 COVID-19 prevention equipment procurement package (16 devices) with a winning bid price of over VNĐ10.7 billion ($412,700), while the purchase price was only VNĐ5.7 billion ($219,800); and the package to purchase five ventilators, with a winning bid price of over VNĐ3.4 billion ($130,900), while the actual cost was only nearly VNĐ1.8 billion ($69,300).

In addition to the two packages mentioned above, the hospital's 2021 medical equipment procurement package was also awarded to the Minh Khoa Company for more than VNĐ10 billion ($385,200), while the purchase price was only VNĐ4.9 billion ($188,900).

The total value of the above mentioned bid packages was more than VNĐ24.2 billion ($931,900), while the purchase price was only nearly VNĐ12.5 billion ($481,400), an increase of 94 per cent.

In addition to the large price differences, the police also discovered that the inclusion of certain criteria in the bidding documents could have limited bidder participation, an irregular pratice that created conditions for one winning bidder. — VNS