It is necessary to stop patients with health insurance from having to buy medicine outside.

Delegate Pham Khanh Phong Lan - Photo: TIEN LONG

Ho Chi Minh City National Assembly Delegate Pham Khanh Phong Lan continued to raise the above issue at the working session of the Ho Chi Minh City National Assembly Delegation with the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on the afternoon of October 14.

Talking about the drug shortage at some hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, Ms. Lan stated the reality: "Even though patients have health insurance, they still have to buy medicine outside, which not only creates an additional financial burden but also poses risks regarding the origin and quality of the medicine."

From there, Ms. Lan asked the City Department of Health to clearly explain the cause of the drug shortage and requested that this department report and propose to higher levels.

The female delegate raised the issue: "Not only in Ho Chi Minh City, the problem of drug shortage is a common situation in many hospitals across the country. The responsibility of health insurance and related agencies when the rights of insured patients are not guaranteed. It is necessary to amend the Law on Health Insurance in the upcoming National Assembly session to resolve existing shortcomings."

Also in her speech, Ms. Lan talked about the lack of vaccines in the expanded immunization program. She asked the City Health Department to provide clear information about this shortage, along with assessing the cause of the measles outbreak when measles vaccines were not provided in a timely manner.

"The city needs to have proactive mechanisms in purchasing medicine and vaccines instead of having to wait for decisions from the central government, especially in the context of dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease increasing," Ms. Lan suggested.

Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Nguyen Van Vinh Chau - Photo: TIEN LONG

In a later exchange, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Nguyen Van Vinh Chau said that the Ministry of Health has issued a circular to guide the regulations on drug bidding for medical facilities to implement. Since then, the department has directed public medical facilities to effectively and promptly implement the procurement of drugs and medical equipment.

According to Mr. Chau: "Currently, medical facilities do not have a shortage of drugs or medical equipment due to subjective reasons. Almost all basic treatment drugs are available and if one drug is not available, it will be replaced by another."

However, Mr. Chau said that there is still a shortage of some local medicines, especially rare medicines. Implementing Resolution 98 (special mechanisms and policies), the city's health sector is advising the city's People's Committee to issue a process for approving the import of especially rare medicines.

"Currently, there are still enough medicines in stock to treat dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease. Fortunately, in 2024, the situation of dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease in the city will be relatively stable," Mr. Chau added.

Sharing more about the drug shortage, the deputy director of the Department of Health said that after Circular 07 was issued, the Department of Health urgently assigned Hung Vuong Hospital to bid for Western medicines and the City Traditional Medicine Hospital to bid for Eastern medicines for grassroots health facilities.

This is a combined bidding for pharmaceutical products, which can then be used by grassroots health facilities. In October 2023, Ho Chi Minh City had the results of the bidding approval.

There are now more than 300 essential medicines supplied to health stations. Health centers are signing contracts to supply medicines to health stations for two weeks (this week and next week).

The Department of Health has reported to central ministries and branches about difficulties, problems and recommendations in the procurement and bidding of drugs and medical equipment.

"In the coming time, medical stations will have all the basic medicines that can treat people with health insurance. There will be enough medicines to treat common non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and some other diseases. These medicines have the same active ingredients as the medicines received from hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City," said Mr. Chau.

Why is there a shortage of expanded immunization vaccines?

Regarding the lack of expanded immunization vaccines, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Nguyen Van Vinh Chau said that according to the report of the City Center for Disease Control (HCDC), the Ministry of Health currently does not have a source of supply for DPT vaccines (diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough).

According to reports, since the end of September, Ho Chi Minh City has no more DPT vaccines. Ho Chi Minh City is still waiting for information on vaccine supply from the Ministry of Health.

During this time, the city encourages people with children of vaccination age to use service vaccines if possible.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/can-cham-dut-viec-benh-nhan-co-bao-hiem-y-te-phai-tu-mua-thuoc-ben-ngoai-20241014195229474.htm