Hospital staff members jailed for taking bribes

Seven managers and directors of key public hospitals in Shenzhen have been sentenced to between six-and-a-half months to 13 years in jail for taking kickbacks.

The Shenzhen Yantian District People’s Court handed down the sentences on Wednesday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Among the jailed is Kong Deqi, the former director of Shenzhen Henggang People’s Hospital, Hou Qingzhong, the former Party chief of Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and former director of the Shenzhen Women and Children Health Hospital and Liu Shoutao, former deputy director of Shenzhen Women and Children Health Hospital.

Kong was sentenced to 13 years in prison and had his assets confiscated for taking 3.242 million yuan ($519,098) in bribes for purchasing particular drugs and medical equipment. Liu was sentenced to 11 years in prison and had his assets confiscated for taking 1.2 million yuan and 20,000 HK dollars ($2,580) in bribes, while Hou was sentenced to six and a half years and had his assets confiscated for taking 1.1 million yuan, HK $ 400,000 and $ 8,000 in bribes.

Also sentenced was Li Zhengquan, director of the stomatology department of Shenzhen No 3 People’s Hospital, Zhang Xiaomin, former director of the pharmacy department of the Bao’an District People’s Hospital, Su Jian, former director of Guangming New District People’ Hospital and Cai Junmin, the former director of Pingshan New District People’s Hospital.