HƯNG YÊN — The Department of Health in the northern province of Hưng Yên has set up an inspection team to examine the case of many boys reportedly infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) after undergoing circumcision at a local private health clinic.

Lều Văn Quân, chief inspector of the department, said after working with the Sub-department of Health of Khoái Châu District and the health centre of Dạ Trạch Commune on Monday, the inspection team has initially determined that the private clinic where many children went for circumcision is located in Yên Vĩnh Village in Dạ Trạch Commune.

This health clinic is owned by a physician only known as Hiền, who has been practising without a licence.

The private health clinic is not on the list of private facilities licensed by the provincial Department of Health.

Quân said the team has asked the clinic’s manager to working with the provincial department today afternoon.

Currently, Hiền, the clinic’s owner, is working for Văn Giang District’s Health Clinic Centre.

Bùi Quang Trung, deputy director of the provincial Department of Health, said the inspection team would clarify the number of infected children and the cause of the infection.

The health clinic that flouted rules and those involved would be strictly fined, he said.

On Monday, the Ministry of Health urged the provincial Department of Health to quickly clarify the information that many boys in Khoái Châu District were reportedly infected with HPV after being treated at a local health clinic.

Lương Ngọc Khuê, director of the ministry’s Department of Examination and Treatment, asked the department to cooperate with the National Hospital of Dermatology to determine the cause of the incident and clarify responsibilities of organisations and individuals involved.

Reports from the National Hospital of Dermatology showed that for two months, between May 1 and July 15, as many as 110 patients, mostly children, were hospitalised with HPV, of which 37 were from Hưng Yên Province’s Khoái Châu District.

The cause of the infection remains unknown.

Patients’ families, however, said they had taken their children to a local private clinic for circumcision.

Human papillomavirus is a major sexual transmitted disease. Patients can be infected through unsafe sex or skin-to-skin contact. Newborns can be infected by infected mothers at childbirth or through unprotected medical devices. – VNS