EYESHENZHEN  /   News  /   Latest news  /   Shenzhen

SZ police crack down on illegal clinics

Writer: Zhang Yu  | Editor: ywtest1  | From:  | Updated: 2018-09-18


Shenzhen police have joined the city’s health authority to crack down on criminal gangs in the medical field, and since the special campaign was launched earlier this year more than 90 suspects have been arrested and over 10 illegal clinics have been closed down, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.


On March 28, a woman surnamed Shi went to a maternal and child health-care hospital in Pingshan District for a pregnancy examination. At the entrance of the hospital, a man approached her and told her that the hospital’s medical appointments were full and she needed to go to Tonggeng Clinic for treatment.


He claimed that the clinic was a branch of the hospital. At the same time, another woman came up to Shi and said that both the gynecological and obstetrical departments of the clinic were very good. She said she had received medical treatment there and could lead Shi to the clinic.


When Shi was taken to the clinic, she told the doctor that she was pregnant and asked for a pregnancy check. However, the doctor told Shi that she had a variety of gynecological diseases and coerced her to the operating room to have surgery. Shi was forced to spend 9,129 yuan (US$1,329) for the whole process.


After the operation, Shi felt uncomfortable and went to a public hospital for an examination. It was found that she had abnormal progesterone. Even though she took special care in the next few days, she had a miscarriage.


Shi later reported the case to the police. After an investigation, it was discovered that the clinic had hired scalpers to coax patients to the clinic to get medical treatment. The amount the patients paid would be divided in half between the clinic and scalpers. Moreover, the clinic’s medical staffers were encouraged to exaggerate illnesses and force patients to pay higher medical bills.


The Pingshan police launched an action to undo the criminal gang Sept. 5. A total of 15 suspects were arrested and all of them were held under criminal detention.


According to the suspects, aside from logistics staffers, all of the members of the gang, including shareholders, doctors, nurses and consultants of the clinic, were involved in blackmailing patients in collusion with the scalpers.


This April, the police in Guangming New Area and Bao’an District also busted two criminal gangs related to such irregularities as exaggerating illness, blackmailing patients, overcharging and deliberately increasing their patients’ suffering.