Vietnam Cracks Down on Corruption: Provincial Vice Chairman and Others Arrested for Large Bribes

As Vietnam's Communist Party intensifies its anti-corruption drive, Nguyen Huy Ngoc, a professor of medicine and vice chairman of Phu Tho provincial People's Committee, has been arrested on charges of receiving large bribes. Concurrently, Le Dinh Thanh Son, director of Phu Tho Provincial General Hospital, was also detained on similar accusations. While the specific wrongdoings of the two individuals have not yet been disclosed, the Criminal Investigation Agency for Corruption, Economic Crimes, and Smuggling (C03) of the Ministry of Public Security states that both are linked to a case involving Viet My Medical Investment JSC. Mr. Ngoc, born in 1970, has had a long career in Phu Tho's health sector, serving as hospital director and head of the provincial Department of Health before becoming vice chairman of the provincial People's Committee in October 2024. He was conferred the title of professor in medicine in late 2025. Meanwhile, Mr. Son, born in 1981, took over as director of the Provincial General Hospital in 2021, succeeding Mr. Ngoc. He continued in the role after Phu Tho province merged with Vinh Phuc province in July 2025. These arrests follow the detention of Tran Van Thuan, the Deputy Minister of Health, on charges of receiving substantial bribes. Mr. Thuan, a specialist in oncology and a professor since 2018, previously held positions at K Hospital and the National Cancer Research Institute before being appointed Deputy Minister of Health in April 2020. Investigations into Viet My Medical Investment JSC have already led to the arrest of three individuals in early August: former Chairman Bui Chan Phuong, current Director Ha Van Nam, and Chief Accountant Tran Thi Hong Hanh, on charges of smuggling and serious violations of accounting regulations. Public bidding data indicates that Viet My Medical Investment JSC has secured hundreds of contracts worth trillions of Vietnamese dong (billions of US dollars) since 2018. C03 alleges that Mr. Phuong established five companies in Singapore and three in Hong Kong to resell and inflate the prices of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals before importing them into Vietnam, subsequently selling them to healthcare facilities at significantly higher costs. He is also accused of exploiting import licenses granted by the Ministry of Health to falsely declare accompanying equipment, thereby illegally bringing other devices into Vietnam. Under its one-party system, the Vietnamese government prioritizes economic growth while simultaneously tackling corruption as a key objective. These high-profile arrests signal a firm stance against corruption among senior officials and public servants. Corruption within the healthcare sector, in particular, raises significant public concern due to its direct impact on citizens' health and safety, compelling the government to address it with utmost seriousness. Source: BBC Vietnamese