HCMC – The Investigative Police Agency of HCMC has filed charges against an employee of Thu Duc Hospital and the leader of a service company for their involvement in Viet A Technology Corporation’s price gouging of Covid test kits.
Pham Vu Phong, director of Nam Phong Service and Construction Design Company Limited has been detained over allegedly violating bidding regulations and giving bribes.
Truong Thi Bao Tran, an employee of the Medical Supplies Department of Thu Duc Hospital, has been prosecuted for violating bidding regulations and receiving bribes.
Tran has not been detained but banned from leaving her place of residence as she has a baby younger than 36 months old.
According to results of the initial investigation, from February to September 2021, Thu Duc Hospital bought Covid test kits worth a total of over VND33.8 billion (VND470,000-509,250 per kit) from Viet A Technology Corporation through Nam Phong Company.
Phong gave Tran more than VND990 million to win the bid to provide Viet A’s test kits for Thu Duc Hospital.
Meanwhile, Nam Phong Company received 30-40% of the total value of the deal (nearly VND10.86 billion).
The Investigative Police Agency of HCMC is conducting a further investigation and also expanding the probe into other individuals and organizations allegedly involved in the case.
