Pharmacist admits to medicine theft

A pharmacist at the Ha Noi's Emergency Aid Centre, locally known as 115, has confessed to misusing her position and stealing medicines for personal use, the municipal Health Department announced on Wednesday.

It said the woman had illegally used codes of heath insurance cards of up to 49 people to get medicines for private use over a period of six months.

The medicines, including some used to treat diabetes, were taken in the name of several health insurance policy holders who'd never visited the centre for medicines.

The pharmacist said that the medicines, which were worth about US$750, were given to her mother.

The Health Department said it was releasing its findings after a 10-month investigation. Deputy Chief Inspector of the department, Nguyen Viet Cuong, said the violations were committed during the first six months of last year.

The department had begun investigating the case last July, Cuong said.

The investigation found seven doctors at the centre were requested by the pharmacist to sign medical invoices without verification.

He said the pharmacist had admitted her violations and returned the money to the centre, which has moved her to another position, Cuong said, adding that the seven doctors have been reprimanded for their wrongdoing, he said.

Tran Van Nam, director of the centre, has owned up to management lapses that allowed the violations to happen, said Tran Ngoc Tu, head of the department's Personnel Organisation Office.

The centre has since tightened oversight over issue of medicines to health insurance policy holders.