Investigators allege that former Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and her accomplices caused losses and waste of state assets totaling more than VND803 billion (US$32.1 million). To date, the former minister has repaid VND14.5 billion (US$580,000) to mitigate the consequences.

As previously reported by VietNamNet, Nguyen Thi Kim Tien has been recommended for prosecution by the Investigation Police Agency under the Ministry of Public Security on charges of violating regulations on the management and use of state assets, resulting in loss and waste.

According to investigative documents, during the implementation of the second-phase projects of Bach Mai Hospital and Viet Duc Hospital, while selecting contractors for 10 construction packages, Nguyen Thi Kim Tien either directed or approved proposals by Nguyen Chien Thang, former Director of the Central Health Projects Management Unit, to facilitate certain contractors in undertaking the packages.

Subsequently, in discussions with contractors, the former director of the management unit negotiated and requested payments equivalent to 5 percent of the pre-tax advance or pre-payment value of each package. In line with this agreement, contractors paid Nguyen Chien Thang a total of VND88.465 billion (US$3.5 million) during contract execution. From this amount, more than VND7 billion (US$280,000) was later given to Nguyen Thi Kim Tien by her subordinates.

After the violations involving Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and others were clarified, on July 1, 2025, her family paid VND7.5 billion (US$300,000) on her behalf to remedy the consequences. On November 27, 2025, she personally repaid VND2 billion (US$80,000). On February 12, 2026, the former minister continued to repay an additional VND5 billion (US$200,000).

Meanwhile, defendant Le Thanh Thiem, Director of Sao Nam Song Hong Co., Ltd., had VND14 billion (US$560,000) paid on his behalf by his sister. Defendant Nguyen Huu Tuan, former Deputy Director of the Central Health Projects Management Unit, had more than VND3.5 billion (US$140,000) paid by relatives. Nguyen Kim Trung, also a former Deputy Director of the unit, repaid VND1.5 billion (US$60,000). Nguyen Chien Thang repaid VND1 billion (US$40,000), while Tran Van Sinh, former Head of the Technical and Cost Estimation Division of the unit, repaid more than VND3.2 billion (US$128,000), among others.

Assets seized in the case

During the investigation, authorities seized three properties belonging to Nguyen Chien Thang, including land use rights and ownership of houses and assets attached to land certified by the People’s Committee of Phu Ly City, former Ha Nam Province, on September 22, 2020; land use rights certified by the former People’s Committee of Dong Da District, Hanoi, on January 27, 2005; and land use rights and house ownership certified by the former People’s Committee of Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi, on August 29, 2014.

One property belonging to Nguyen Huu Tuan was also seized, comprising land use rights and ownership of houses and assets attached to land certified by the People’s Committee of Phu Ly City, Ha Nam Province, on September 22, 2020.

Nguyen Kim Trung had two properties seized, including land use rights and ownership of houses and assets attached to land certified by the former Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment on May 21, 2019, and residential house ownership and land use rights certified by the People’s Committee of Hanoi on September 20, 2001.

Authorities also seized one property belonging to Dao Xuan Sinh, Director of SHT Company, consisting of land use rights and ownership of houses and assets attached to land certified by the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment on October 4, 2019.

T. Nhung