The Ministry of Health will soon issue guidelines for classifying medical equipment according to technical and quality standards.

On November 7, 2024, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen chaired a meeting with central hospitals, provincial and municipal health departments, and provincial general hospitals... nationwide on bidding and purchasing of drugs and medical equipment for medical examination and treatment. The conference was held in person and online. More than 300 units attended the conference.

According to the Ministry of Health, as of November 6, 2024, the Ministry of Health has received reports from 46 localities, while 17 provinces and cities have not yet reported on bidding and procurement of drugs, supplies, and medical equipment.

At the meeting, delegates representing the Department of Health of the North, Central, South, Southwest, Central Highlands and Bach Mai Hospital, Viet Duc Hospital, Central Maternity Hospital, Hue Central Hospital, Thai Nguyen Central Hospital, Da Nang C Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital, Thong Nhat Hospital, Can Tho Central General Hospital... all affirmed that the National Assembly, the Government, the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and branches issued documents guiding the procurement and bidding of basic drugs in full, which has removed many difficulties and obstacles in the bidding and procurement of drugs and medical supplies.

In recent times, central hospitals and provincial and municipal health departments have made efforts to purchase and bid for drugs and medical supplies. Up to this point, drugs and medical supplies have basically met the people's medical examination and treatment needs.

The Ministry of Health said that through reviewing and synthesizing reports from localities and opinions expressed by delegates at the working session, the Ministry of Health noted that there were still some opinions mentioning some difficulties and problems and proposed recommendations to continue efforts to carry out bidding and purchase of drugs and medical equipment for medical examination and treatment.

Regarding the proposal for the Ministry of Health to issue guidelines for classifying medical equipment according to technical and quality standards, the Ministry of Health is implementing it and will complete it in the third quarter of 2025 under the direction of the Government and the Prime Minister.

Regarding the implementation method, information shows that there are still some localities that have not completely decentralized the bidding and purchasing of drugs and medical supplies. At the same time, in reality, during the bidding and purchasing process of drugs and medical supplies, there are still some items that do not have contractors participating; some items won the bid but the contractor does not supply or supplies intermittently, or only supplies a part...

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen acknowledged and highly appreciated the efforts of hospitals under the Ministry of Health, provincial and municipal health departments and medical facilities in bidding and purchasing medicines and medical supplies to serve the medical examination and treatment of the people.

To continue ensuring adequate medicine and medical equipment for medical examination and treatment, Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen requested hospitals and Departments of Health of provinces and cities to continue studying and implementing institutional guidelines on bidding and procurement to apply in the implementation process to ensure compliance with regulations.

Develop a plan for the use of drugs and supplies that is consistent with the disease structure at the medical facility. When conducting bidding and purchasing, if the first time does not meet the requirements, it is necessary to urgently carry out a second time and the following purchases must meet the regulations.

Relevant departments and agencies of the Ministry of Health continue to review the decentralization of procurement and bidding for hospitals under the Ministry. At the same time, the Department of Health of provinces and cities shall advise the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the People's Council to issue a thorough decentralization for medical examination and treatment facilities in bidding and purchasing drugs and medical supplies;

“The Ministry will continue to work with localities and hospitals to guide and remove difficulties and obstacles (if any) and strengthen the synchronous implementation of solutions to completely resolve the shortage of drugs and medical equipment in accordance with the direction of the National Assembly, the Government and the Prime Minister. At the same time, the Ministry will continue to review detailed regulations and guidelines for the implementation of the Law on Bidding and Decree No. 24/2024/ND-CP to propose to competent authorities to amend and supplement (if any) to suit the actual procurement of drugs and medical equipment,” said Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen.

The Department of Planning and Finance coordinates with relevant units of the Ministry of Health to accelerate the development and issuance of a handbook on procurement and bidding processes and procedures; At the same time, strengthen the dissemination of laws and provide training to improve the capacity of bidding staff in implementing legal provisions on bidding.

The Ministry of Health's Staff Department established a special working group with members including: Department of Planning and Finance, Department of Infrastructure and Medical Equipment, Department of Health Insurance, Department of Legal Affairs... to be ready to remove and resolve difficulties and problems for localities in implementing bidding and procurement;

The Ministry of Health highly appreciated the approach of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health and the special working group model of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health. The Deputy Minister suggested that other provinces and cities study and establish a special working group model on bidding and procurement to be ready to support and remove difficulties and obstacles for medical examination and treatment facilities.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/bo-y-te-som-ban-hanh-huong-dan-phan-nhom-thiet-bi-y-te-theo-tieu-chuan-ky-thuat-va-chat-luong-post843864.html