Second facilities of Bach Mai and Viet Duc Friendship hospitals to open in Q2

Deputy Minister of Health Le Duc Luan told a government media briefing on May 4 that the two projects in Ninh Binh province were large-scale. Each has a total investment of approximately VND5 trillion ($200 million) and a construction area of about 138,000 square metres.

Deputy Minister of Health, Le Duc Luan. Photo: VGP

"During the implementation, many technical issues emerged," Luan said. "Changes to the hospitals' design led to changes in many items, including the fire protection system, water supply and drainage, and procedures related to environmental permits."

"The list of medical equipment for the projects was approved in 2014 and 2015. At present, it is not possible to continue purchasing outdated equipment as approved earlier – adjustments are necessary to purchase new, modern ones. This procurement process must also comply fully with current legal regulations."

To resolve the complexities of these two projects, the government issued Resolution No. 34/NQ-CP in February 2025 on mechanisms to address them.

Over more than 10 years, the Ministry of Health (MoH), along with other ministries, sectors, and related units, has made efforts to resolve the obstacles.

Currently, units are focusing on completing the final stages, with the main focus being the construction of fire protection systems after adjustments and additions; at the same time, completing the wastewater treatment system and other environmental protection items.

“Besides technical issues, we are also working to overcome financial difficulties. For these projects, contractors were unable to obtain bank loans; banks did not approve loans for these two projects. Therefore, the contractors were facing many challenges,” he said.

The MoH has been actively coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies and directed investors, project management boards, and construction units to put the second facilities of both hospitals into operation in the second quarter of 2026.

“Currently, we are working closely with the Ministry of Construction to resolve obstacles in the verification and approval of projects’ cost estimates, with very favourable results. In addition, the MoH is also coordinating with the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of National Defence to direct contractors to mobilise maximum manpower and focus on completing unfinished items such as fire protection, wastewater treatment systems, and medical waste disposal. This is the crucial legal basis for the authorities to issue fire safety and environmental permits for the project,” Luan said.

The MoH is also directing the project management board to apply the most favourable mechanisms for contractors. At present, contractors can receive advance payments of up to 90 per cent of the completed work.

"For newly arising items requiring amendments, additions, or adjustments to the contract appendix, we have allowed advance payments at up to 50 per cent, higher than the current regulation of 30 per cent to ensure contractors have sufficient financial resources to focus on construction and bring the project in on schedule,” Luan said.

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