The Ministry of Health affirms that it basically ensures the supply of drugs on the market.

(HNMO) - On the afternoon of June 3, at the regular Government press conference for May 2023, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong informed about solutions to the shortage of equipment, medicine and ensuring the implementation of the expanded immunization program.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong answered at the press conference.

Specifically, regarding the implementation of solutions to the shortage of equipment and medicine, in recent times, the Ministry of Health has proactively coordinated with ministries and branches to remove difficulties. To ensure the supply of equipment, the Ministry of Health has advised the Government to issue Decree No. 07/2023/ND-CP of the Government on amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 98/2021/ND-CP dated November 8, 2021 of the Government on the management of medical equipment. To date, the shortage of medical equipment related to import procedures has been basically resolved. Licenses to import medical equipment issued from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021 will continue to be used until December 31, 2024.

The Deputy Minister of Health said that the problem of drug shortages only occurs with specialized drugs, rare drugs, and unknown sources of supply for rare diseases and unpredictable quantities of drugs to treat poisoning, serums, etc.

The Ministry of Health also reported to the Government to submit to the National Assembly Resolution No. 80/2023/QH15, in which it continues to implement a number of policies in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic and the use of drug and drug ingredient circulation registration certificates that have expired from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024. Accordingly, since the beginning of 2023, the Ministry has announced 4 batches with a total of 1,0572 drugs, including 8,204 domestic drugs and 2,143 foreign drugs, 225 biological vaccines are allowed to continue using their circulation registration certificates until December 31, 2024. The Ministry has also licensed nearly 3,000 drugs that do not have registration numbers according to the provisions of the Pharmacy Law, valid for 3-5 years with the newly issued number. Currently, there are approximately 22,000 drugs with valid circulation registration certificates with about 800 active ingredients of various types.

“Currently, the supply of drugs on the market is basically guaranteed. In the coming time, to avoid the shortage of equipment and drugs, especially rare drugs, the Ministry of Health has coordinated with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to review and propose amendments to a number of contents to be included in the draft Law on Bidding (amended), in order to remove difficulties in procurement,” said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong.

Regarding rare drugs and drugs with limited supply, the Ministry has also proposed and received approval from the Government to develop a mechanism for these drugs and is planning to establish 3-6 centers to reserve rare drugs and drugs with limited supply. This is a solution to ensure that rare drugs are available for use in emergency situations.

Regarding the implementation of the expanded immunization program, the Deputy Minister of Health said that over the past years, the Ministry has implemented it with 10 dangerous infectious diseases for children and women. Although in 2022, the Covid-19 epidemic affected the health programs of many localities, the provinces have increased vaccination, vaccinated with catch-up doses of vaccines, and given additional doses of vaccines to children under 1 year old... With a large number of children in high-risk areas being regularly vaccinated, vaccinated with catch-up doses... has contributed to controlling vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. The Ministry has also reviewed the source of vaccines from 2022 to present.

For domestically produced vaccines, the quantity is enough to last until July 2023, hepatitis B and tuberculosis vaccines can be used until August 2023, Japanese encephalitis vaccines can be used until August 2023... For imported 5-in-1 vaccines, there is enough to last until early 2023.

In 2022, the Ministry conducted bidding procedures for imported vaccines but no bidders participated. With the State's attention, the health sector is determined to remove specific obstacles.

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