The Department of Health of Hai Phong City in northern Vietnam has imposed two administrative fines totaling VND34 million (US$1,500) on an international hospital for declining to serve a pregnant woman with COVID-19.

Upon noticing information shared widely on Facebook, the local health department’s inspectors managed to find out that Green Hospital in Le Chan District had rejected the admission of H.T.H. after testing the 29-year-old resident twice, using the rapid test method, with both results returning positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

H.’s family had paid a deposit in preparation for her labor before taking her to the hospital for a general examination at around 9:00 am on Wednesday.

After H. tested positive for the coronavirus upon her arrival, the hospital staff requested the family to use their own vehicle to transport the pregnant woman to another infirmary.

“We asked the hospital for a vehicle to take my wife to another hospital, but the medical staff refused, saying that they had no car available for us. So, I had to drive her to another facility by myself,” said H.’s husband.

Meanwhile, Green Hospital explained that as H. neither had signs of labor nor needed any emergency medical treatment, the receptionists recommended her family a number of other medical facilities that are capable of handling COVID-19 infection cases with pregnancy.

The hospital staff also discussed with H.’s family over the use of the 115 emergency medical response service to transport the woman to the recommended hospital, but the family decided to go there by their own vehicle, according to Green Hospital’s report. 

After considering reports from both sides, the Hai Phong Department of Health decided to fine Green International Hospital JSC, which operates Green Hospital, VND14 million ($617) for its failure to notify the competent health authority when detecting a person with COVID-19.

In addition, the firm was slapped with another penalty worth VND20 million ($881) for letting a virus carrier travel by a personal vehicle.

The management board of Green Hospital said that they have seriously learned from the mistakes, especially in responding to COVID-19 infections.

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