FV Hospital seeks permission to collect fees for COVID-19 vaccination services

The COVID-19 vaccination for French citizens in Southern Vietnam at FV Hospital

The proposal was made at a meeting between the minister, Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, the city's People’s Committee, the Department of Health, and leaders of five private hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City.

Pham Thi Thanh Mai, COO of FV Hospital, said that currently, FV is implementing vaccination for nearly 5,000 French citizens and their relatives in southern Vietnam, and simultaneously volunteering to participate in the vaccination campaign for people in Ho Chi Minh City.

She also emphasised that FV has equipped a cold storage system that has been tested and certified by the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, which can concurrently store 800,000 doses of Astra-Zeneca vaccine, 200,000 doses of Moderna vaccine, and 600,000 doses of Pfizer.

The cold storage system at FV Hospital

“Currently, with only three nurses, one doctor, and a group of administrative staff, FV Hospital can deliver 800 doses a day. Thus, with more than 100 nurses certified to administer vaccination, FV Hospital could organise vaccination for up to 10,000 people a day at FV Hospital and mobile vaccination stations,” she added.

As a private healthcare facility, the hospital proposed collecting fees for COVID-19 vaccination services as it has to mobilise its own budget to purchase equipment for vaccination, including the ultra-low storage system and modern cold storage for vaccine preservation, as well as pay doctors and nurses and cover expenses for ancillary activities. In addition, FV Hospital also had to suspend the activities of some departments to prioritise the vaccination mission. The collection of fees would be necessary to balance its budget.

The representative also elaborated that through diplomatic relations, FV Hospital had a source to purchase vaccines and proposed to actively negotiate, purchase, and import vaccines from its own financial resources. This way, Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City will be able to secure an additional source of vaccines for people who would be willing to pay to receive a vaccine, reducing the burden on the state budget.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, director of the Medical Services Administration under the Ministry of Health highly appreciated the initiative of FV Hospital in assisting the government in epidemic prevention and control as well as in making proactive investments in facilities and professional human resources to carry out COVID-19 treatment and vaccination.

“The ministry will consider the proposal and soon have an official direction for FV Hospital to participate in the extremely urgent vaccination mission,” he noted.

Vietnam officially launches nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign on July 10

Nationwide COVID-19 vaccination management platform ready for historic campaign

Vietnam looks to digitalise COVID-19 vaccination database