VietNamNet Bridge – At least 20 health workers in Thanh Hoa, a province in central Vietnam, have been detected using fake certificates and diplomas. Many of them had conducted examination and treatment services.

The Thanh Hoa General Hospital, where two health workers were detected to use fake certificates.

Thanh Hoa police have said that they are investigating the case. The local Department of Health has told related medical units to fire all of them.

The violations were found during an inspection of the provincial Department of Health, which lasted from March to September last year.

Among the imposters were three nurses with medical college diplomas, one nurse with an intermediate certificate, nine physicians, four pharmacists with an intermediate degree, a laboratory technician with an intermediate certificate and two with fake IT certificates.

Many of them had been working for years with  fake diplomas. For example, Mr. Le Van Le, 57, had been the head of the health station of Dong Thang commune for 20 years before his fake certificate was brought to light.

Le’s healthcare station was rated weak for several years, but unfortunate incidents had not occurred during this period.

Of the four fake pharmacists, Ms. Le Thi Thuy, 29, had been working at the Thanh Hoa Endocrinology Hospital for eight years. Every day, Thuy sold medicines to patients.

Some of the fake physicians had provided medical services for years, including Ms. Ngo Thi Tam, 46, a staff at the health station of Trieu Son town, Bui Thi Xuan, 55, an employee at the health station of Luong Noi commune, Mr. Le Xuan Thuong, 50, a staff at Quan Son District Hospital, and Ms. Thai Thi Phuong, 51, a worker at Kien Tho commune clinic.

An official from the Ministry of Health said this was the largest case of use of fake diplomas in the health sector. He said the Ministry of Health would check the diplomas and certificates of all medical workers in Thanh Hoa.

Le Ha