At a press briefing on the afternoon of December 25, Major General Nguyen Quoc Toan, Chief of the Office and spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security, provided updates on the investigation into waste and mismanagement at the Bach Mai Hospital (Campus 2) and Viet Duc Friendship Hospital (Campus 2) projects.

Responding to questions from reporters during a session announcing the outcomes of the 29th meeting of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption, Waste, and Negativity Prevention, Major General Toan said that the police investigation agency has so far prosecuted 10 defendants under four different charges.

Of these, two defendants have been charged with taking bribes and abuse of position and power while performing official duties; one defendant has been charged with fraud and appropriation of assets; and seven others have been charged with violating regulations on the management and use of State assets, causing loss and waste.

According to Major General Toan, investigators have initially determined that the actions of those involved caused total losses and waste amounting to 762 billion VND (approximately USD 30 million).

So far, authorities have recovered more than 39 billion VND (around USD 1.6 million) and seized seven real estate properties connected to the case.

Major General Toan emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and being carried out under the close direction of the Central Steering Committee. “When there are new developments, the Ministry of Public Security will provide further information,” he said.

Massive waste discovered in hospital construction projects

The Bach Mai Hospital (Campus 2) project in the former Ha Nam Province was designed to have 1,000 inpatient beds, covering a total floor area of 118,941 square meters.

The total investment capital for the project was 4.99 trillion VND (approximately USD 200 million), including 4.5 trillion VND from the State budget and additional funding from other sources.

Similarly, the Viet Duc Friendship Hospital (Campus 2) project also has 1,000 beds and a total floor area of 117,714 square meters, with total investment capital of 4.968 trillion VND (about USD 198 million), including 4.5 trillion VND in State funds.

Earlier, the Government Inspectorate issued a conclusion report identifying numerous violations in the two projects.

The Inspectorate recommended that the Prime Minister instruct the Minister of Health to review and strictly discipline current and former ministers and deputy ministers responsible for the projects during various periods, along with many related organizations and individuals.

According to the inspection results, the total amount of damage and waste at the two projects exceeded 1.2 trillion VND (about USD 48 million).

Responsibility was attributed to the Minister of Health, the Project Management Board for Key Health Projects, and other directly involved entities and individuals.

Expanding investigation and prosecution

In early June 2025, the Ministry of Public Security formally initiated the case and prosecuted five individuals.

By September 29, investigators filed additional charges against two more suspects, bringing the total number of defendants to seven, and subsequently expanded the scope to include a total of 10 people under prosecution to date.

Major General Nguyen Quoc Toan affirmed that the case remains a priority under the Central Steering Committee’s supervision, with a strong focus on recovering assets and holding all responsible parties accountable.

Tran Thuong