The Official Letter stated that in the recent time, Vietnam Social Security has received feedback from patients and the media about a number of medical examination and treatment facilities with health insurance not providing enough drugs to treat patients, especially diphtheria-resistant serum at Ho Chi Minh City Tropical Hospital, Da Nang Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital.

The fact that medical examination and treatment facilities do not supply enough drugs is a violation of the provisions of Point b, Clause 2, Article 21 of Decree No. 146/2018/ND-CP dated October 17, 2018 of the Government detailing and guide the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Health Insurance and affect the rights of patients with health insurance.

In order for the drug supply to be sufficient, timely and ensure the rights of patients with health insurance, Vietnam Social Security requires the social insurance of the provinces to:

1. Actively coordinate with the provincial Department of Health in directing and guiding medical examination and treatment facilities with health insurance in the area to immediately provide sufficient and timely solutions to provide medicines for patients with health insurance, especially for cases emergency and epidemic dangerous to human life; at the same time, explain to patients so that they can feel assured and would not leave because the hospital does not fulfill the responsibility to supply drugs as some cases of diphtheria reported by the press.

2. Immediately send a written request to medical examination and treatment establishments of health insurance to strictly supply medicines and medical supplies for treating patients according to regulations, absolutely not missing or requiring patients to purchase drugs and medical supplies on the list covered by the health insurance fund.

Vietnam Social Security requires social insurance of provinces to urgently implement, if there are difficulties or problems, please immediately report to VSS for guidance.