Dr Luong Ngoc Khue, director of the Ministry of Health’s Health and Treatment Examination Department told Ha Noi Moi (New Ha Noi) newspaper about the blood-testing scandal that has caused public outrage.
Laboratories are indispensable in all hospitals in the world. However, in our country, particularly in Ha Noi, they are everywhere, just like mushrooms following the rain. What do you think about managing the system?
No one can deny the important role of the laboratory in early disease detection and diagnosis as well as in treatment. Good lab management is important for health services worldwide.
In recognition of this, the Ministry of Health issued the National Action Programme on Laboratory Quality Control by 2020 and the Circular on Laboratory Quality Management for Outpatient Departments and Patients Wards which came into force in March this year.
These two documents are the solid foundation for the good management and operation of laboratories. In addition, Article 5 of the Circular states clearly that all labs must have annual and five-year management plans approved by the authorities.
They have also to be committed to high quality work and service. Of course, during their performance they must follow prescribed standards operation procedures (SOP). Internal and external audits are indispensable activities for all operating laboratories.
How many reference laboratories are there in our country and is it compulsory for their quality to be audited?
In 2010, two reference laboratories were established – one at the Ha Noi Medical School and the other at the Ho Chi Minh Medical and Pharmaceutical University. Before that, there was one lab in HCM City. That means, by now Viet Nam has three reference labs.
External audits will make sure the tests done by laboratories meet set standards throughout the nation, regardless of their locations.
In a tough competitive world, all health-service centres have co-operated closely with the three reference laboratories in order to have their certificate awards on meeting the national standards.
To protect your rights, whenever you go for a lab test, remember to ask the service provider to show you their quality service certificate.
Although the Ministry of Health has issued many legal documents on the quality of health services, the scandal at the Hoai Duc Hospital was a serious violation. In this case who has to take the responsibility for the 2,000 blood-test reproductions there?
Article 7 of the Circular states very clearly that leaders of the health facility have to take full responsibility for what have gone wrong in their institution. Article 8 of the same Circular also regulates the rights and obligations of the laboratory head.
So in the case of the scandal at the Hoai Duc Hospital, the head of the lab and the hospital director have to take responsibility first, others involved in the scandal will be identified later and be sanctioned in accordance with the law.
What are the lessons learned from all this?
This is an expensive and good lesson in laboratory control at the local level.
In the near future, the ministry and agencies will have to conduct regular visits to health facilities to ensure they follow the SOP during their work performance.
At the same time, we will organise more training courses for health workers and train people in inspection skills. — VNS
Đăng ký: VietNam News
