On the afternoon of April 11, during a Q1/2025 press briefing, Chairman Truong Canh Tuyen addressed the delayed construction of Can Tho Oncology Hospital.

This project was among those flagged in Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's Directive 112, issued on November 6, 2024, which urged ministries and localities to "resolve longstanding suspended projects, expedite their completion, and put them into operation to avoid waste and losses."

Chairman Tuyen emphasized the urgency of restarting the project to meet the specialized healthcare needs of residents across the Mekong Delta (ĐBSCL).

“The Can Tho Oncology Hospital is of critical importance to the people of the Mekong Delta. This is a pressing issue - not just for us sitting here, but for the nearly 19 million people across the region who are deeply concerned,” he stated. He added that the hospital would spare residents from having to travel long distances to Ho Chi Minh City for treatment.

Tuyen shared that Can Tho authorities had submitted a request to meet with the Minister of Finance to seek assistance for the project. Currently, the project is entangled in issues related to investment approval.

It was initially funded through Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Hungary, but since the loan agreement has expired, Hungary has cut off its funding.

To transition from ODA to domestic funding, the Ministry of Finance must provide guidance, allowing Can Tho to amend its investment plan accordingly.

According to Tuyen, there are two proposed solutions. The first is for the Ministry of Finance to advise the central government to allocate approximately USD 52.4 million (about VND 1,300 billion) to complete the project.

If this support is not forthcoming, the second option is for Can Tho to allocate this same amount from its own budget during the 2026-2030 period to finalize the construction as soon as possible.

The Can Tho Oncology Hospital project was approved on January 25, 2017, with a total investment of more than USD 68.6 million (over VND 1,700 billion), including over USD 56.2 million in ODA from Hungary.

Despite years of implementation, the project has only reached 21% of the total value of the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) contract. Of this, 82% of construction work has been completed, while equipment supply and installation have reached just over 16%.

The contract between the Department of Health and the joint contractor expired on July 10, 2022. The second loan agreement, signed between the Ministry of Finance and Eximbank Hungary, also expired on July 11, 2022, leading to the suspension of the project.

Hoai Thanh