Almost everyone goes for a health check-up at some point in their lives for educational or professional purposes, but how many people actually go for a check-up?
Illustrative image.
Providing information at the regular government press conference in May 2023, held on the afternoon of June 3rd, Lieutenant General To An Xo, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Security, stated that there were male patients who received certificates confirming inflammation of female genitalia. Furthermore, there were individuals who had both arms amputated but were still issued driver's licenses because they had health certificates guaranteeing their health.
According to the leaders of the Ministry of Public Security, the high demand for health certificates in general, for purposes such as learning to drive, working, applying for jobs, or insurance-related matters, has led to negative practices and violations of the law.
In reality, the issue of fraudulent health certificates has been going on for a long time and is quite common in many localities. Authorities have attempted to prevent it, but not completely. Many people compare buying a health certificate to buying a bunch of vegetables. That's why many people often use the phrase "buying a health certificate" to refer to documents for something else instead of actually getting a health checkup.
For some jobs, a health certificate might only serve to fulfill procedural requirements, posing minimal danger. However, some health certificates have completely changed the course of events, making the harm they cause to society significant. We all know that not long ago, a ring producing fake psychiatric certificates for criminals to secure their release on bail was uncovered, shocking the public. Among those involved were doctors from psychiatric hospitals, individuals who, upon entering the profession, had sworn an oath of medical ethics.
Most recently, serious cases of forgery in the issuance of health certificates have occurred in Dong Nai province and Ho Chi Minh City, involving several clinics. During initial investigations in Dong Nai province, authorities seized 135,000 sick leave certificates and 400 health examination certificates with falsified results and lacking patient information. According to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Security, this practice was used to create fraudulent social insurance claims. Despite knowing that workers were absent for unjustified reasons, the social insurance agency still had to pay because the records indicated the workers were "sick." This behavior not only harms the social insurance agency but also disrupts society.
A health certificate should be a truthful reflection of a person's physical condition at the time of examination. The confirmation of a person's health status is guaranteed by the professional reputation of the doctor and the legal responsibility of the health authority. However, many health certificates are becoming a source of fear for society. Criminals are released on bail because of certificates claiming mental illness, and injured individuals are still granted driver's licenses because of certificates indicating good health. Many might think this is normal, that where there is demand, there is supply. However, when a person with a fake mental illness is released on bail and then commits further crimes, or when someone with a driver's license but not meeting the health requirements causes accidents... this can no longer be considered normal. Along with stronger enforcement by the police, above all, there must be improved medical ethics education and internal accountability within the agencies authorized to issue health certificates. Only in this way will violations in the issuance of health certificates not be taken too far.
Tue Minh
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