Binh Duong asks for MoH to transfer anti-Covid-19 drugs to health insurance

According to statistics by provincial Department of Health, the province is currently treating 480 Covid-19 patients, including 33 being treated at medical facilities and the rest under home treatment.

During the complicated period of Covid-19 pandemic, the whole province established 173 isolation areas, 10 field hospitals, and 33 treatment areas. Every day, the province recorded 500 cases of severe mechanical ventilation with the cost of drugs using the budget for each serious patient amounting to VND 200 million. The province’s health sector promptly directed public medical examination and treatment establishments to bid in the form of contractor appointment to ensure compliance with procurement regulations on the list of the Ministry of Health to supply drugs for Covid-19 patients.  Anti-Covid-19 drugs were procured from the local budget and a number of organizations and individuals.

Facing the complicated developments of the pandemic, it is difficult for the health sector to predict the situation in order to stockpile medicine. As of now, Covid-19 patients have decreased significantly and there are few patients in need of take medicine for treatment. While anti-Covid-19 drugs purchased from the State budget still exist with a total value of VND 23 billion while some drugs have a short shelf life. That will be very wasteful if their purpose of use is not changed.

To avoid wastefulness, due to expired drugs, provincial Department of Health petitioned the Ministry of Health to approve a policy of using anti-Covid-19 drugs for patients who are not infected with Covid-19, patients without insurance cards or transfer health insurance at the actual cost purchased for patients with health insurance.

Reported by Hoang Linh-Translated by Kim Tin