Hanoi (VNA) - The Supreme People's Procuracy has prosecuted former Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien for “violating regulations on management and use of State property, causing losses and wastefulness” in a case related to the construction of the second campuses of Bach Mai Hospital and Viet Duc University Hospital.
The case of “Violating regulations on the management and use of State property, causing loss and wastefulness; Fraudulent appropriation of property; and Taking bribes,” occurred at the Ministry of Health and related units.
Along with Tien, others prosecuted on the same charge include Nguyen Kim Trung, former Deputy Director of the Management Board of Key Medical Projects and former Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Equipment and Works under the Ministry of Health; Tran Van Sinh, former Deputy Director of the Management Board of Key Medical Construction Projects under the Ministry of Health; and Dao Xuan Sinh, former Director of the SHT Vietnam Investment, Construction and Consulting JSC.
The procuracy has also charged Nguyen Chien Thang, former Director of the Management Board of Key Medical Projects, and Nguyen Huu Tuan, former Director of the Management Board of Key Medical Construction Projects, for “violating regulations on the management and use of State property, causing loss and wastefulness” and “Taking bribes.”
Meanwhile, Le Thanh Thiem, Director of Sao Nam Song Hong Co., Ltd., has been prosecuted on the charge of “Fraudulent appropriation of property.”
According to the indictment, although the Prime Minister had not approved the hiring of foreign consultants for project formulation and technical and construction design of the two projects, Thang still signed proposals for Tien to issue decisions permitting the engagement of foreign consultants and approving plans for architectural design selection.
The proposals also allowed VK Architects and Engineers to prepare and present architectural design options and approve the results of the architectural design selection for both projects. Based on the approved architectural plans, Thang directed subordinates, including Trung, Tuan and Sinh, to finalise and legitimise contractor appointment dossiers in violation of legal regulations, enabling the VK Studio – Institute of Medical Equipment consortium to implement consultancy packages TV4/2014 and TV5/2014. The acts, in coordination with Sinh, caused losses of more than 70 billion VND (2.65 million USD) to the State.
In addition, to ensure the projects' progress, Thang directed that bidding packages not be divided according to technical characteristics and implementation sequence to maintain project synchronisation. Although the proposal lacked sufficient grounds for such non-division, Nguyen Doan Tu, then Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Equipment and Works, chaired appraisal meetings and submitted documents for Tien to approve the decisions.
Following Tien's approval, Thang directed the preparation and approval of bidding documents, contractor selection and implementation of packages XDBM-01 and XDVD-01 in violation of regulations. Numerous irregularities led to difficulties in project implementation, causing delays, suspension and failure to meet set objectives, resulting in a waste of more than 733 billion VND in State assets./.
Prosecution sought against former Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien
The case is linked to the investment projects for the construction of the second establishments of the Bach Mai Hospital and Viet Duc University Hospital (Vietnam-Germany Friendship Hospital).
