Resolving shortage of drugs and medical supplies: Many hospitals operate normally

SGGP 03/19/2023 12:46

On March 18, the Ministry of Health informed about the solutions that have been and are being implemented to resolve the shortage of drugs, supplies, and medical equipment at public hospitals.

Patients can rest assured when going to the hospital when medical supplies and medicines are available. Photo: QUANG PHUC

The Ministry of Health said that after 2 weeks of the Government issuing Decree No. 07/2023/ND-CP and Resolution No. 30/NQ-CP, difficulties in equipment, medical supplies, and medicines at many treatment facilities are gradually being resolved so that the facilities can return to normal operations.

In recent times, the whole country has had many synchronous solutions to remove difficulties and promptly resolve the shortage of medicines, medical equipment and supplies. In particular, the National Assembly passed the amended Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15, which has many contents related to the innovation of financial mechanisms to overcome the limitations and shortcomings of medical facilities in the past time. The law will take effect from January 1, 2024. At the same time, the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 80/2023/QH15, allowing the continued use of drug circulation registration certificates and drug ingredients that have expired in the period from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024 to continue to be used from the date of expiration to December 31, 2024. Thanks to that, in the first months of 2023, the Ministry of Health extended the circulation licenses of nearly 10,000 drugs, ensuring supply and removing difficulties for drug suppliers on the market.

The Government has issued Resolution No. 144/NQ-CP on ensuring medicines, medical equipment and payment of medical examination and treatment costs under health insurance. The Prime Minister issued two telegrams on ensuring medicines and medical equipment to serve medical examination and treatment. In particular, in early March 2023, the Government issued Decree No. 07/2023/ND-CP and Resolution No. 30/NQ-CP to resolve difficulties related to import licenses and registration numbers for medical equipment; promote the issuance of registration numbers for medical equipment, remove difficulties in revocation of circulation numbers and handling of medical equipment whose circulation numbers have been revoked; amend regulations on import and export and temporary import and re-export of medical equipment; amend regulations to resolve practical difficulties in price declaration.

The Ministry of Health has resolutely implemented many solutions to enhance the handling and settlement of registration for circulation, renewal of registration for circulation of drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients; speed up the progress of granting and renewing registration certificates for circulation according to the provisions of the Law on Pharmacy; issue circulars related to drug registration, promote the reduction and simplification of administrative procedures, especially with regulations on dossiers for renewal of registration certificates for circulation of drugs; organize additional independent appraisal units at medical and pharmaceutical universities to speed up the appraisal of licensing dossiers; issue many documents directing and operating on ensuring drug supply, especially rare drugs with difficulties in supply.

The Ministry of Health has also directed the adjustment of declared and re-declared drug prices for items due to objective price increases. Accelerate the progress of implementing national centralized drug procurement and price negotiations. Therefore, in 2022, 3 drug bidding packages in the national centralized bidding list were successfully organized, reducing VND 1,418 billion compared to the planned price (nearly 18%); successfully negotiated prices for 61/69 drug items, reducing prices by VND 1,995 billion (approximately 15%).

After the bottlenecks in bidding, purchasing medical equipment and supplies were removed, many hospitals have returned to normal operations. Viet Duc Hospital, after 2 weeks of interrupting surgeries, prioritizing only emergency surgeries due to lack of supplies and chemicals, has resumed surgeries as usual, and people can rest assured to come for medical examination and treatment with full facilities. Bach Mai Hospital has also basically resolved the difficulties in treatment drugs and medical supplies to ensure the requirements for patient care.

Bidding for drugs in public hospitals, not required to have 3 quotations

The Ministry of Health has just issued Circular 06/2023/TT-BYT amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular 15/2019/TT-BYT on drug bidding at public health facilities.

According to Circular 06, for pharmaceutical chemicals, biological products, vaccines, herbal medicines, and traditional medicines, refer to 3 quotations or sales invoices from different suppliers at the time of planning contractor selection.

In case the medicine does not have 3 quotations or sales invoices from different suppliers, the head of the unit shall base on at least 1 quotation or sales invoice from the supplier at the time of planning to select the contractor, explain and be responsible for the proposed planned price and ensure that it does not exceed the declared wholesale price.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/thao-go-thieu-thuoc-vat-tu-y-te-nhieu-benh-vien-hoat-dong-binh-thuong-post682541.html