Former Deputy Minister of Health Cao Minh Quang arrested

Cao Minh Quang, former Deputy Minister of Health, was detained on Friday for allegedly failing to inspect the drug production orders at private company Cuu Long Pharmaceutical, causing losses to the state.

The Investigative Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security (C03) stated that it has put Quang, 66, and Duong Huy Lieu, 74, the Ministry of Health’s former Director of Financial Planning, under investigation for their alleged “lack of responsibility causing serious consequences,” under Article 360 of the Criminal Code.

Lieu was banned from leaving his residence and leaving the country.

On the same charge, the investigative agency also probed Nguyen Nam Lien, the ministry’s former Director of Financial Planning. Previously, Lien was investigated and detained in the case of Viet A Company, which allegedly inflated the price of Covid-19 test kits.

According to the agency, the two men are accused of not checking and evaluating the implementation of the terms of negotiation to reduce the purchase price of raw materials when liquidating the contract that orders the production of Oseltamivir at Cuu Long Pharmaceutical JSC.

Oseltamivir, sold under the brand name Tamiflu, is an antiviral medication used to treat and prevent influenza A and influenza B, the viruses that cause the flu.

This mistake prevented the authorities from discovering that Cuu Long Pharmaceutical had been given a discount of nearly $3.85 million when buying raw materials to recover the money, causing losses to the state coffers.

Quang held the position of Director of the Drug Administration during 2004-2007, then Deputy Minister of Health until 2013 and retired. At the end of December 2021, Quang was dismissed from all positions in the Party by the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee due to his “lack of leadership, lack of responsibility and inspection.”

Director Lieu retired in April 2009, after many years working at the ministry.

In the same case, in November 2021, the investigative police placed Luong Van Hoa, former General Director of Cuu Long Pharmaceutical, and Nguyen Thanh Tong, the firm’s former Deputy General Director, under investigation for allegedly abusing their position and powers while performing official duties, according to Article 356 of the Criminal Code.

Cuu Long is headquartered in Vinh Long town, Vinh Long province, with a 40-year-old history and four factories.