The Investigation Police Agency (C03) of the Ministry of Public Security has recommended the prosecution of Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, former Minister of Health, for violating regulations on managing and using state assets, causing losses and wastefulness. This charge falls under Clause 3, Article 219 of the Penal Code.

Seven months ago, on 19/7/2025, Tien faced disciplinary action and was expelled from the Party.

Former Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien in October 2019. Photo: Giang Huy

Tien, 66, a native of Ha Tinh province, holds a doctorate in medicine, is an associate professor, and a People's Physician, one of the most esteemed honors for medical professionals. Her political career included serving as an alternate member of the 10th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, a full member of the 11th Central Committee, and a deputy of the 13th National Assembly.

She dedicated most of her career to medical research, notably serving as the Director of Pasteur Institute in TP HCM for five years. In 2007, at the age of 48, she was transferred to Hanoi to assume the role of Deputy Minister of Health. In August 2011, she became Minister of Health, a position she held until 2019. Notably, during the 2016-2021 government term, she was the only cabinet member who was not a member of the Central Committee.

As the head of the health sector, Tien focused on addressing hospital overcrowding. She once stated upon taking office that no other country, not even in Africa, had patients lying under beds as seen in Vietnam. She often highlighted that her greatest achievement after nearly two terms was improving the attitude of medical staff towards patients, curbing the "envelope phenomenon" (bribery), reducing bed sharing, and fostering cleaner and more appealing hospital environments.

However, during her tenure, two significant projects, Bach Mai Hospital Facility 2 and Viet Duc Hospital Facility 2, located in what was formerly Ha Nam province, were initiated. A decade later, these multi-billion dong hospitals remain abandoned, causing considerable waste and leading to her current legal challenges.

In connection with this case, C03 previously initiated proceedings against several other individuals. These include Dao Xuan Sinh, Director of SHT Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company, and four members of the Key Medical Project Management Board of the Ministry of Health: Tran Van Sinh (Head of Technical and Estimation Department), Nguyen Chien Thang (former Director of the Board), Nguyen Huu Tuan, and Nguyen Kim Trung (two former Deputy Directors of the Board).

C03 alleges that these defendants violated regulations on managing and using state assets, resulting in losses of 80 billion VND and wasting an additional 770 billion VND.

Bach Mai Hospital Facility 2 is currently abandoned. Photo: Giang Huy

The two projects, Bach Mai Hospital Facility 2 and Viet Duc Hospital Facility 2, in Ha Nam province, began construction in 2015. Each hospital was designed with a capacity of 1,000 beds, aiming to alleviate overcrowding at their respective primary facilities. Construction on both projects halted in January 2021 and has not resumed since, leading to damage and degradation of several components.

In late March 2026, the Government Inspectorate concluded that the implementation of these projects involved numerous violations in bidding and construction. These violations caused delays of over seven years, led to inefficient resource utilization, resulted in significant waste, and indicated potential budget damage of approximately 1,253 billion VND.

According to the Government Inspectorate, the Minister of Health and the Deputy Minister in charge at the time committed violations in approving the policy to hire foreign consultants for project development and design, lacking proper grounds and failing to meet necessary conditions. They also issued unlawful directives regarding foreign consulting firms for project development consulting packages. Furthermore, the report cited a lack of responsibility, lax management, failure to urge and inspect, and inadequate execution of other duties and powers as the investment decision-maker.

The Key Medical Project Management Board, along with related units and individuals involved in project management, lacked the necessary experience and professional capacity. The Inspectorate stated that these individuals "intentionally violated regulations, deliberately reported false information, were dishonest, lacked objectivity, and failed to incorporate assessments from specialized agencies."

Pham Du