The agency, after summarizing the reports of central and local agencies, has found that total resources mobilized for the fight against the pandemic as of December 31, 2021 had reached VND376.2 trillion.

The resources are from the state budget (VND130.5 trillion), foreign aid (mostly vaccines through diplomatic channels). The total amount of doses committed by December 31, 2021 was 78.1 million. The doses received was 69 million, worth VND11.4 trillion. Resources for the implementation of support policies were VND140.5 trillion and other sources (VND93.6 trillion).

The auditing found that the resources of society, in which resources included the state’s, could basically satisfy the urgent requirements in fighting the pandemic. 

However, the State Audit, after auditing nine ministries and central agencies and 32 localities, discovered some problems.

Regarding the management and use of test kits, reports show that 58,716,805 test kits, chemicals and biological products for PCR testing were bought at a total value of VND7.973 trillion. The prices of products varied, depending on the origin and manufacturers. Some units bought test kits from Viet A Technology JSC, equal to VND2.161 trillion (directly or indirectly through intermediaries).

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and dependent units bought VND617 billion worth of biological products, rapid and PCR test kits, including 1,269,404 rapid test kits, and 237.452 PCR test kits. The prices of rapid test kits were between VND47,000 and VND220,500, while the prices of PCR test kits were VND126,042 and VND653,571.

In Hanoi, rapid test kits were priced at VND48,500-242,000, while RT-PCR test kits were priced at VND48,500-210,000.

In Quang Nam province, the figures were VND48,500-198,000 and VND200,000-300,000, respectively.

According to the State Audit of Vietnam, there were some problems in the management and use of biological products and test kits.

The building of testing plans, approval and allocation of test kits were not timely to serve the testing; the management and supervision were not strict, while units could not keep track of the amounts of biological products used.

The experiments of some aided PCR testing found that the products could not satisfy the requirements. 

Luong Bang