Nguyễn Quang Tuấn, former director of Hà Nội Heart Hospital and Bạch Mai Hospital, was arrested Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Quang Tuấn, former director of Hà Nội Heart Hospital and Bạch Mai Hospital, was detained on Friday for further investigation into his role in a case of medical equipment price gouging, according to the public security ministry.

Earlier on October 21, legal proceedings were launched against Tuấn by the Police Investigation Agency on charges of “Violations in bidding process leading to serious consequences” under Article 222 of the Criminal Code. He was then placed under house arrest until today.

Tuấn’s offences happened during his tenure as director of the Hà Nội Heart Hospital from 2012 to 2020. Investigations by authorities have identified multiple leaders and workers at the Hà Nội Heart Hospital to have committed violations in purchasing medical equipment for the hospital.

Tuấn is alleged to have signed multiple documents relating to these purchases, which inflated the overall cost and caused over VNĐ40 billion (US$1.739 million) in damage to State assets, affecting hospital patients and causing public outcry.

The investigation of the Hà Nội Heart Hospital comes as part of a nationwide campaign to uncover illegal activities in medical equipment bidding in public hospitals.

The Hà Nội Heart Hospital was investigated by the police on April 12, with authorities confiscating multiple documents from the hospital relating to bidding packages and privatisation projects from 2015. — VNS