On the afternoon of March 31, the Government Inspectorate of Vietnam announced the inspection results of the investment projects to build new second campuses for Bach Mai Hospital and Viet Duc Friendship Hospital.

The findings revealed systemic violations at nearly every stage of the process, with financial waste amounting to trillions of dong.

Violations found across all project stages

According to the inspection report, the violations throughout both projects were not isolated incidents but part of a systemic pattern.

One infraction often stemmed from a previous one, with subjective errors found across almost all stages - from investment preparation to execution, from approving investment policies to planning contractor selection, organizing bidding, choosing contractors, and signing and implementing project packages.

Construction contracts were deemed vague and failed to comply with any legal regulations regarding construction contract management.

"Just eight days after the contracts were signed, the parties already requested changes to the basic design. Construction began without technical designs, working drawings, or cost estimates," stated Deputy Inspector General Nguyen Van Cuong at the press conference.

Waste reached trillions - many times higher than the initial estimate of 100 billion VND

The inspection team concluded that waste from the two hospital campus projects totaled several trillion Vietnamese dong - many times greater than the initially estimated loss of 100 billion VND (approximately $4 million).

According to Cuong, the waste took various forms - both material and immaterial. These issues have led to especially serious consequences, such as depletion of public resources, increased costs due to mismanagement of public assets, and missed opportunities for public healthcare services.

The leadership of the Government Inspectorate revealed that this was a surprise inspection, carried out under the direction of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption, Waste, and Negativity. The inspection decision was made on January 8, 2025, with the on-site investigation taking only 40 days.

Despite the limited timeframe, the inspection team processed a massive volume of work, including the verification and evaluation of nearly 3,000 documents - cross-checked against thousands of varying regulations, both current and outdated.

The Government Inspectorate confirmed that it has transferred the case files, which show signs of criminal activity, to the Ministry of Public Security for further investigation and legal action.

Additionally, the agency has proposed legal reforms to improve the legal framework - calling for a synchronized system that clearly defines wasteful losses, strengthens inspection and oversight mechanisms, and enforces appropriate punitive measures with a strong deterrent effect.

The Vinh