The government reported that the total direct resources to serve prevention and control of Covid-19 and implement the social security policy mobilized by state agencies at different levels in the 2020-2022 term totaled VND230 trillion.

The resources were mainly from the state budget. The total resources from the state budget in the last three years were worth VND186.4 trillion, while from other sources was VND43.6 trillion (foreign aid, Covid-19 vaccination fund, contributions from local budgets, Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and other organizations).

In its report to the National Assembly, the supervision team commented that at the time of the pandemic outbreak, it was difficult to mobilize resources for the state budget because the demand for resources was huge.

In many cities and provinces, local authorities, especially in the provinces which still cannot balance receipts and expenditures, and have low incomes, could not arrange money to spend on pandemic prevention and control. Even HCMC and Dong Nai met with difficulties and lacked money to fight the pandemic during the strong outbreak.

The supervision team cited a series of expense items.

Over VND87 trillion was spent to support people, employees and employers, business households affected by Covid-19. Of this, the spending from the social insurance fund and unemployment rate was VND47.2 trillion, accounting for 54.3 percent of total expenditures.

As of December 31, 2022, the total amount of money used to buy vaccines had reached VND15,134.76 billion (102,383,206 doses), including VND7,467.18 billion from the state budget, and VND7,667.58 billion from vaccination fund. The remaining money which has not been used is VND262.5 billion, including VND137.3 billion from the state budget and VND125.2 billion from the vaccination fund.

The unspent money was given by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to the state and the funds as stipulated by law.

VND2.593 trillion was spent on test kits, while VND534.7 billion was collected from testing services. The expenses on medical equipment and materials, medicine and biological products, not including test kits, was VND5.291 trillion.

The supervisors discovered violations in bidding, buying and borrowing test kits. The report of the State Audit showed that in 2020-2021, organizations bought biological products, chemicals and test kits at different prices, depending on types, origins and manufacturers. Some organizations bought test kits from Viet A Technology, worth up to VND2,161.6 billion (directly or through intermediaries).

In December 2021, the Ministry of Public Security initiated legal proceedings against Phan Quoc Viet, CEO of Viet A Company, in the case of violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences.

Luong Bang