On December 30, the Lam Dong Department of Health said that the unit had sent a report to the Provincial People's Committee on the prolonged debt situation in the Binh Thuan and Dak Nong (old) areas after arranging administrative units.
The total debt of medical facilities in these two areas as of the time before the merger (June 30, 2025) was 299.3 billion VND. In which, the Binh Thuan area (old) accounted for the majority with 257 billion VND.
The largest debt is more than 161.6 billion VND for medicine and medical supplies.
Phan Thiet Regional Health Center owed 55.1 billion VND; Tuy Phong 23.3 billion VND; Ham Thuan Nam 11.6 billion VND; Bac Binh Thuan Regional General Hospital 30.1 billion VND; Southern Regional General Hospital 15.8 billion VND; La Gi 12.2 billion VND; Ham Thuan Bac 5.2 billion VND; Phu Quy Special Zone Health Center more than 7 billion VND; Binh Thuan Disease Control Center (old) 919 million VND.
The main reason identified is that health insurance medical examination and treatment costs are deducted, service prices are not enough to cover expenses, leading to financial imbalances, causing many businesses to stop supplying, causing a shortage of medicine and medical supplies.
In addition, the Binh Thuan area (old) also owes salaries and allowances to officials and employees with a total amount of 24.879 billion VND. Binh Thuan General Hospital alone owes more than 14.9 billion VND.
The total debt for COVID-19 prevention and control costs is 89.363 billion VND. Notably, the Binh Thuan Center for Disease Control was ordered by the Phan Thiet City People's Court (old) to pay 5.121 billion VND to a general service enterprise.
For the old Dak Nong area, the total debt to be paid is more than 28,162 billion VND, including: Debt for borrowing goods to serve COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control of more than 12.5 billion VND; debt for epidemic prevention and control costs (with documents available) but not yet allocated funds of 913 million VND; along with basic construction debt of more than 12.9 billion VND due to overpayment compared to the final settlement.
Up to now, units under the relevant Department of Health have handled nearly 13.2 billion VND. The total debt to be paid at health facilities in Binh Thuan and Dak Nong (old) areas to date is more than 286.1 billion VND.
Lam Dong Department of Health proposed that the Provincial People's Committee direct relevant departments and branches to coordinate in handling debts at medical facilities, especially in the field of medical examination and treatment with health insurance.
At the same time, it is proposed to soon work with central ministries and branches to consider paying expenses and guiding advance payment of 80% of the expenses exceeding the 2024 estimate for medical examination and treatment facilities in the area.
