Two blood collection stations were closed and a third fined for
illegal operations, the Chinese Health Ministry announced
yesterday. All three were found to be poorly managed and guilty of
other illegal operations, including cross-regional blood
collection.
One was located in Xupu County, Hunan Province, another was in
Chongqing Municipality and the third was in Deqing County,
Guangdong Province.
The ministry said the Xupu and Deqing stations were closed by
local health authorities. Station heads were also removed from
their posts.
The Chongqing blood center, whose problems were less serious,
was fined 50,000 yuan (US$6,000) and those in charge received
undisclosed administrative punishment.
In addition, the ministry said a joint teleconference would be
held Thursday by the Health Ministry, the Ministry of Public
Security and the State Food and Drug Administration as part of the
nationwide crackdown on illegal blood collection.
In the mid-1990s, illegal blood collection caused the spread of
AIDS among rural residents in certain regions of central China.
(Eastday.com May 27, 2004)