Last week a 32-year-old woman, who came to the clinic owned by Doctor Nguyen Xuan Ai for a tummy tuck, was illegally detained in the center until relevant authorities arrived to intervene.

The center performed a surgery against her will and left her with an abdominal incision.

Doctor Phan Van Nghiem, a high-ranking official of the municipal Health Department, said centers of the kind are only licensed to conduct facelifts and tattoos, not abdominal surgeries and can only offer services over a period of 24 hours per patient.

The department is considering punitive measures against Ai, possibly withdrawing his clinic’s license.

Besides, Ai had opened up to seven clinics in HCMC though he was licensed to open only one, Nghiem added.

Among them, six had been fined VND45 million (about US$2,800) for advertising services beyond their capacity.

Local police said they had received many complaints from patients who used the ‘beautification’ services at Ai’s centers, with the owner rarely present during inspections to sign in the reports, said Nghiem.

In addition, out-of-date medicines were also found at his centers in a raid made by the local authority in May.

Nguyen Duc An, chief inspector of the department said up until the latest bizarre detainment case, there had not been enough evidence against Ai to shut him down.

The worst he had received to date was fines for over-advertising his services, An said.
 
At present, the rescued patient is recovering well in another local hospital, with a sibling reportedly preparing formalities to take Ai to court.

Reported by Thanh Tung – Translated by Tuong Nhi