China probed 2,755 commercial bribery cases in its health sector in 2006, Xinhua has learnt from the Chinese Ministry of Health (MOH).

The cases investigated involved commercial bribery in the purchase and distribution of drug and medical equipment and medical services, said Li Xi, head of the team from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China stationed in the MOH.

"More than 100 million yuan (about 12.8 million U.S. dollars) was involved in the cases," Li said at a recent national conference on discipline inspections in the medical sector.

During last year's nationwide crackdown on corruption in the health sector, 693 health workers were sentenced on charges of commercial bribery or punished according to Party or political disciplines, Li said.

Li cited the example of an over-billing scandal that saw a dying man's family charged with more than a million yuan for treatments he never needed at an A-level Hospital in the northeastern city of Harbin. The hospital's president, party chief and director in charge of discipline inspection had been fired as a result.

Last year, the government also urged health workers to voluntarily turn in bribes, MOH sources said, adding about 270 million yuan had been turned in by health workers by Dec. 31, 2006.

In China, some companies and individuals offer commissions to health officials and staff to secure contracts for substandard drugs and medical equipment, resulting in many medical accidents.

Illegal deals between health workers and drug dealers also contributed to rising medical expenses. Some doctors prescribe expensive drugs for which they received kickbacks. Meanwhile, some patients have to give doctors extra money for better medical treatment. This causes public distrust of hospitals

To counter rising public complaints, China's health authorities have been struggling to crack down on corruption in the sector.

Source: Xinhua