Former health minister warned

Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong was also expelled from the Party per a decision by the Party Secretariat at a Friday meeting between the Politburo and the Secretariat chaired by Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong.

The Party Civil Affairs Committee of the health ministry in the 2016-2021 term also received a warning from the Politburo at the meeting.

The health ministry’s civil affairs committee in the 2016-2021 period was found to have violated Party principles and been negligent in management, allowing the health ministry, the Drug Administration of Vietnam and other units and individuals to violate Party regulations and the law, according to the Politburo and the Secretariat.

Violations occurred in policymaking regarding the import and sale of drugs and medical equipment, allowing Party members and units to violate the Party’s regulations as well as national laws.

Such violations have resulted in severe damage to national property and the health insurance fund, affecting the Party’s guidelines, the state’s policies and reputation of the medical field, among other adverse impacts.

Tien has to take main responsibility for the violations as secretary of the Party Civil Affairs Committee, secretary of the Party Committee and former Minister of Health.

She also has to take responsibility for her personal violations regarding Party regulations and her role in management, allowing the health ministry and other medical units to commit systemic violations, the Politburo said.

Cuong also has to take responsibility for the violations as member of the Party Civil Affairs Committee and Deputy Minister of Health, among other positions. He also personally violated Party regulations and his management allowed violations regarding the approval of fake drugs.

Earlier this month, Cuong was investigated for his involvement in a fake cancer drug case dating to 2014. The implications of the latest developments on Cuong’s current position were not mentioned.