This decentralization empowers HCMC to take a more proactive approach in importing drugs for special treatment needs, ensuring timely access to essential medications for disease prevention, control, and emergency situations. This is particularly crucial for rare and specialized drugs and is promising news to the medical sector in the city, who has been facing long-term drug shortages.
Over a year ago, many healthcare facilities faced a severe crisis due to drug and medical supply shortages. While various government interventions and consistent policies have partially eased the procurement process for these items, the issue remains unresolved.
The silence from affected institutions may stem from various reasons, including concerns about public scrutiny. As a result, many hospitals continue to operate on a limited basis, and patients are forced to purchase their own medications, needles, and intravenous fluids in other pharmacies.
Seeing the urgency of this issue, HCMC has made significant progress in addressing drug shortages by fully utilizing procurement regulations. The city's health department has tasked hospitals with rich purchasing capabilities and experience. Additionally, healthcare professionals have been mobilized to assist in selecting suppliers.
HCMC's Health Department head has expressed optimism, stating that hospitals are actively working to finalize supplier selection by September 2024. This will pave the way for drug supply to healthcare centers and clinics.
The HCMC Department of Health is closely monitoring the drug supply situation and has established a task force to provide support in procurement and coordination. The task force collects information from healthcare facilities weekly to ensure timely assistance. For rare drugs, the department liaises with the Ministry of Health for support.
This Department has also reported to the Drug Administration of Vietnam and promptly imported rare drugs to meet treatment needs. Additionally, several drugs have completed the licensing process and are expected to be imported in the near future.
While the immediate drug shortage issue has been largely addressed, it remains a temporary solution. Long-term strategies are required to ensure a sustainable supply of drugs, medical supplies, and medical equipment for healthcare facilities.
Healthcare facilities, investors, and bidding organizers must fully adhere to their procurement responsibilities to ensure adequate drug, medical equipment, and related services for disease treatments. Simultaneously, it is necessary to strictly monitor the purchasing process for medical items to ensure efficiency and transparency as well as avoid waste.
Institutions must be held accountable for any drug, medical supply, or medical equipment shortages within their jurisdictions. At the same time, the two ministries of Health and Planning & Investment are urged to expedite the issuance of guidelines for hospitals to follow in procurement procedures, especially the bidding organization stage.
