The Viet A test kit case that involves almost all centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) and medical facilities nationwide has been added to the list of big violations under the supervision and direction of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption.
| Viet A test kits. Photo: VNA |
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The decision is aimed to strictly handle wrongdoers and give stronger warnings and deterrents to prevent corruption, stated the committee that is chaired by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong.
The scandal of jacking up prices of Covid-19 test kits at Viet A Technology JSC has sparked public outrage as the sales of unqualified products have brought about roughly VND4 trillion (US$174 million) for the company.
In mid-December, Chairman of Viet A Technology JSC Phan Quoc Viet, and his subordinates and some health officials in Hai Duong Province were arrested on the charge of “violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences.”
Viet and the company’s executives confessed that Viet A took full advantage of simplified bidding procedures given in the context of urgency caused by the pandemic to approach CDCs and hospitals across the country to offer the products.
LightPower iVA SARS-CoV-2 1st RT-PCR Kit developed by Viet A was the first test kit produced in Vietnam. It got a temporary license from the Ministry of Health in March 2020 and was officially approved in December 2020 for five-year circulation.
Viet A supplied its products to every part of Vietnam, triggering concern about the testing results at a time when the country suffered widespread transmission of SARS-CoV-2 a few months ago.
Lawmaker Pham Van Hoa told local media that Viet A could not have such a wide range of customers and supply large volumes without being backed by some forces.
Former lawmaker Le Nhu Tien said Viet A alone could not inflate the price and it’s necessary to punish someone who backed the wrongdoings. He demanded to check the role of MOH in this case.
| Chairman of Viet A Technology JSC Phan Quoc Viet. Photo: Police |
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