COVID-19 test kit scandal: Ex-health minister jailed for 18 years
The Hanoi People’s Court on January 12 sentenced former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long to 18 years in prison for taking bribes in the COVID-19 test kit case involving in the Viet A Technology JSC.
Hanoi (VNA) 🧸– The Hanoi People’s Court on January12 sentenced former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long to 18 years in prison fortaking bribes in the COVID-19 test kit case involving in the Viet A Technology JSC.
Sentences were also announced for 37 other defendants,including those from the Viet A Company, former officials from the Ministries of Health, and Science and Technology as well as ex-officials from the Centres of DiseaseControl and Prevention (CDC) of many provinces.
Specifically, Phan Quoc Viet, CEO and Chairman of the Viet A Company, received 14 years in jail for violating bidding regulations, causingserious consequences, and an additional 15 years behind bars for giving bribes.
﷽ Vu Dinh Hiep, Deputy General Director of the Viet A Company, was sentenced to seven years in prison for violating regulations on bidding,causing serious consequences, plus eight years in prison for giving bribes.
For receiving bribes, Trinh Thanh Hung, ex-Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology for Economic-Technical Sectors under the Ministry of Science and Technology, was sentenced to 14years; Nguyen Huynh, ex-secretary of Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, to nine years; Nguyen Minh Tuan, ex-Director of the Department of Health Equipment and Works under the Ministryof Health, eight years; Nguyen Nam Lien, ex-Director of the Department of Planning - Finance under the Ministry of Health, seven years;and Pham Duy Tuyen, ex-Director of Hai Duong province's CDC, 13 years. Both Chu Ngoc Anh, ex-Minister of Science and Technology,and Pham Cong Tac, ex-Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, weresentenced to three years in prison for violating regulations on the managementand use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness. Pham Xuan Thang, ex-Secretary of the Hai Duongprovincial Party Committee, Pham Manh Cuong, ex-Director of Hai Duongprovince’s Department of Health, and Nguyen Van Trinh, ex-assistant of a DeputyPrime Minister were sentenced to five years, four years, and four years in prison, respectively, for abusing positions and power while performingofficial duties. Meanwhile, both Phan Ton Noel Thao and Ho Thi Thanh Thao,finance assistant and treasurer of the Viet A Company, were sentenced to four years inprison for giving bribes. Other defendants in the COVID kit test scandal received imprison sentences ranging from 24 months to five years and six months in jail.
In December 2021, police arrested and initiated legalproceedings against Viet for raising the price of RT-PCR COVID-19 test kits andgiving bribes to health officials to sell their test kits.
🅰 Viet and key leaders of the company had admitted tocolluding with leaders of hospitals and CDCs to supply COVID-19 test kits to hospitals and CDCs at prices set by thecompany, which were much higher than the production price.
The Viet A company sold more than 4.5 million test kits, causing loss of 1,235 billion VND, including 402 billion VND for the State.
𓆉 The Ministry of Public Security’s InvestigationPolice Agency froze transactions and deposits and confiscated a total of around1.7 trillion VND (73.9 million USD) in connection with this case./.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viet A Technologies JSC Phan Quoc Viet has been sentenced a total of 25 years in prison on charges of "abusing position and power while on duty" and “violating bidding regulations, causing serious damages”, in the COVID-19 test kit case at the Viet A Technologies JSC and the Vietnam Military Medical University (VMMU).
The Hanoi People's Court on January 3 commenced the first-instance trial of 38 defendants involving in a case at Viet A Technology JSC, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), and relevant units and organisations.
Vietnamese Consul General in Fukuoka Vu Chi Mai highlighted the growing demand for Vietnamese workers in Kyushu, especially in Fukuoka, Oita, and Saga prefectures. Currently, the region employs about 35,000 Vietnamese manual workers and over 5,000 IT engineers.
In Vietnam’s case, she said, President Ho Chi Minh demonstrated his strategic vision by founding the revolutionary press a century ago. The late leader understood the press's role not only as a means to reflect the country’s realities but also as a powerful tool to strengthen national unity and inspire the resistance wars and national construction process.
In recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporters in Mexico, prominent figures reflected on the press’s legacy and its global influence.
VietnamPlus e-newspaper of the VNA clinched an A prize in the “Outstanding Press Product” category for its immersive 3D multimedia project, “Epic of Reunification,” a groundbreaking blend of storytelling and technology. The VNA won another A prize for its eye-catching exhibition booth.
Today, the press for foreign service has evolved into a distinct, irreplaceable force, bridging Vietnam with the world and portraying a nation that is stable, peace-loving, and fully integrated into the international community.
At a review conference held on June 21, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh praised the province’s scientific, coordinated, and flexible approach. He noted that the early completion reflects the strong commitment of local authorities, the business community, philanthropists, and residents in improving housing conditions for disadvantaged groups.
The VNA delegation, led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, actively participated in the event, engaging in both professional and diplomatic activities.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
Defendants at the court. (Photo: VNA) 
