During an inspection visit to the two biggest Hanoi hospitals, Bach Mai and Viet Duc, Health Minister, Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, listened to patients' complaints about staff misconduct.
Mrs. Nhung speaks with Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien
Nguyen Thi Nhung, 70-year old woman from Bac Giang Province, who was waiting for her turn to be examined, said she had a serious headache for two weeks and she went to Bac Giang General Hospital to get it checked out. She was hospitalised, but was not told her diagnosis.
She claimed to have told the doctor about her medical condition, but the doctor did not listen, only asked questions about Nhung's relatives. The doctor said that she would withhold the needed injection because she was scared Nhung might die and had no relatives.
The doctors said that Nhung had no serious condition and until a relative arrived. She had to wait three days before being diagnosed.
Nhung did not have much confidence in the diagnosis, so she decided to go to Bach Mai Hospital for a second opinion.
After hearing the story, the minister asked Nhung why she did not call the hot line for the Ministry of Health to report the case. Nhung said she did not know about the line.
On January 23, Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, the Ministry of Health’s Department of Examination and Treatment Department, called Bac Giang Province’s Health Department, requesting that they explain the case and improve the attitude and behaviour of staff toward patients.
According to the Ministry of Health, since the hot line became operational, around 40% of the calls are complaints about doctor behaviour, while around 16% concern fraud and bribes, while the rest are complaints of poor infrastructure and regulation violations.
Many patients expect that the Minister of Health will make more visits to hospitals so that she can understand more about patients’ condition.