VietNamNet’s Le Nhung talked with Mr. Nguyen Minh Hong, Director of the Center for Research and Application of Medical Breakthroughs. Hong was an independent candidate at three National Assembly (NA) elections and he only failed in the first election.

NA deputy Nguyen Minh Hong, Director of the Center for Research and

Application of Medical Breakthroughs.

In the previous NA election, you said that an independent NA candidate was similar to a soldier who drives his truck through a single-plank bridge to go to the battlefield. What did you feel this time?

I submitted my personal file to the election council in the morning of the day of deadline.

This time I felt that I would win the election. Once you start swimming, you should try your best to cross the river. My advice for those who plan to self run for NA elections is: if you believe in yourself, you should run for the election.

I tried to be an active NA deputy in the 12^th tenure, so I was supported by many constituents during my canvass for the election of the 13^th tenure. I won the election with a high rate of yeses. After a NA tenure, I have learnt a lot of experience and I have grown up.

What did you promise to constituents in the next tenure?

I think that NA deputies must not only report constituents’ expectations, but also urge and supervise the process to turn people’s expectations into reality.

As a doctor, I’m interested in putting an end to the overload at hospitals, where three-four patients have to share a bed.

Big hospitals in Hanoi and HCM City are overloaded because patients only want to be treated at high quality hospitals. These hospitals should be expanded to the maximal scale. The best solution is moving them to the suburb.

Some hospitals have been moved to the suburb but only part of them was moved, not entire hospitals. We have called for putting an end to the overload at hospitals but perhaps we should take more drastic measures.

In addition, I’m also interested in the assistance policies for the people who have deserved well of the country, housing and loans for students.

The third subject of my interest, are border guards.

Are you confident to accomplish all of these goals?

I proposed ten issues and I will gradually perform them in five years.

My working method will be very different. I will not only speak at NA plenary sessions, but also at meetings of NA’s committees and I will also do supervisory activities. I will even take advantage of NA meetings to talk on the sideline with officials.

For medical issues, whom do you plan to speak to on the sideline?

In the last tenure, I talked with the Ministry of Health twice about health insurance. I also talked with and sent my written opinions to the General Director of the Vietnam Insurance Agency. There were some changes after that, I think.

To solve a matter, the best way is using many “directions of attack”. Briefly, I have to use many ways to raise my voice at the NA.

Time is gold for those who run private companies but to be an NA deputy, especially independent deputy, they have to make sacrifice.

The number of elected independent candidates this time is four times over the previous election. Do you think that the door for independent candidates will be wider in the subsequent elections?

This election was very “fierce”. The high increase of the number of independent candidates shows the democracy of our regime and state. This is a very good sign.

Independent candidates like me don’t represent state agencies, but this is necessary to have the voice of this force at the NA, so I hope to have more representatives of this force at the NA.

Le Nhung