Vietnamese hospital staff accused of putting phone call ahead of patients

By Thu Hien June 14, 2016 | 03:58 am PT

The female employee of Bach Mai hospital keeps chatting on phone while lines of patients are waiting. Photo from Facebook

Head of Vietnam's Healthcare Management Bureau Luong Ngoc Khue has asked Bach Mai Hospital - one of the largest in Vietnam - to verify allegations that one of its female employees left lines of patients waiting while she chatted on her cell phone.

The employee is believed to work in the Department of Obstetrics at Bach Mai Hospital. During work hours, she is alleged to have spent time talking on the phone while queues of patients waited. She only hung up the phone after being reminded by colleagues and when people started to take photos.

Some patients also complained about the employee’s attitude, saying she turned grumpy and snapped at patients. The images and details of the incident at Bach Mai are being spread around the internet.

The bureau has asked the hospital to look into the case and to strictly punish individuals or groups if there are signs of negligence. The agency also asked the hospital to publish its findings before June 15.

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