Patients needing surgery had to take a 'detour' because the hospital ran out of medical supplies.

Faced with the reality that leading hospitals are running out of medical supplies, causing patients scheduled for surgery to be postponed or transferred to other hospitals, the Ministry of Health leadership stated that they "will request hospital directors to report promptly, to identify the cause of the drug shortage, and to find a solution."

Out of medical supplies.

According to a complaint from a 51-year-old male patient, NVC, residing in Thach That District ( Hanoi ), he was recently referred to Viet Duc Friendship Hospital (a leading surgical hospital under the Ministry of Health) for examination and assessment of his condition, after receiving a local diagnosis of spinal disc herniation.

A 51-year-old male patient in Hanoi was unable to undergo surgery at Viet Duc Friendship Hospital because the hospital had run out of medical supplies.

Upon examination at Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, the patient was prescribed X-rays, ultrasounds, MRI scans, and various tests to assess the condition. After receiving the results, the doctors consulted and further ordered an electromyography (EMG) test at an outside clinic, costing over 1.3 million VND. Following a second consultation, patient C. was diagnosed with a herniated disc and was indicated for disc replacement surgery.

"However, the doctor also informed me that the hospital was currently out of supplies and said it would take another month before they had any, and that if I couldn't wait, I could be transferred to another hospital. After 5-6 days of examination and waiting for the doctors' conclusions and prescriptions, but being unable to have surgery due to the lack of supplies, I had to request a transfer to Hospital 108 for surgery," Mr. C. said.

Another case involves a male patient from Ho Chi Minh City who recently visited Viet Duc Friendship Hospital for a complex joint condition and was scheduled for surgery. However, the hospital ran out of medical supplies, so the family planned to transfer the patient to a private hospital for surgery, but requested a doctor from the public hospital to perform the operation.

At the Central Endocrine Hospital, patients' families also reported that the hospital had run out of medication, and some medications still had to be purchased outside the hospital, even though patients were eligible for health insurance coverage.

In response to this situation, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan stated: "We will request hospital directors to report promptly, identifying the cause of the drug shortage so that we can address it."

Ms. Lan also stated that over the past two years, the Ministry of Health, in coordination with other ministries and agencies, has advised the Government to amend and issue numerous decrees and circulars, resolving many difficulties in procurement and bidding. Many hospitals have been able to ensure the supply of basic medicines and medical supplies for the people. However, besides the policy mechanisms, the most important factor is the implementation at the hospitals.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/benh-nhan-can-mo-phai-di-duong-vong-do-benh-vien-het-vat-tu-y-te-185241223235633001.htm