DaK Lak Provincial Maternity Hospital Faces Multiple Management and Procurement Violations

A provincial audit of the DaK Lắk Maternity and Children Hospital uncovered numerous violations in clinical services, financial management and public procurement. The hospital failed to publish budget estimates, did not report internal spending plans to the provincial Health Department, and omitted required staff position transfers under anti‑corruption law.

Between 2023 and 2024 the hospital paid hazardous‑work allowances without verifying actual work hours, delayed in‑kind training payments, and bypassed competitive selection for security and cleaning services. A procurement package for medical supplies took more than 80 days—exceeding the approved 60‑day limit—and contract approval procedures were not followed. In a drug‑supply contract worth VND 157.8 million, the hospital did not require the supplier to provide a performance guarantee, preventing recovery of the guarantee later. Many of the hospital’s expenditures were rejected by the Social Insurance agency for non‑compliance. As of the audit report, no corrective actions have been implemented.