Presidents of three hospitals detained for illegally selling birth certificates

The presidents and related responsible persons of three hospitals have been detained for further investigation while the department of gynecology and obstetrics of their hospitals in Guangdong and Hubei provinces and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region have been ordered to suspend business for illegally selling birth certificates, media reported.

In the city of Xiangyang, central China's Hubei province the president surnamed Ye, 55, of the private-run Jianqiao Hospital, and other five medical workers have been approved for arrest by the local procuratorial organ, according to a statement released by Xiangyang city government on Sunday.

Local health department has also revoked Ye's certificate of practicing doctors in accordance with the law, it said.

And police have also detained four other staff from the hospital for further investigation, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the qualification for issuing birth certificates and practicing maternal and child health technical services at Jianqiao Hospital has been revoked in accordance with the law, it said.

Local discipline inspection and supervision department has also launched further investigations on 13 relevant persons responsible for the medical scandals and staff from Jianqiao hospital, and promised to punish those who are found guilty according to laws and regulations the statement said.

In Foshan of Guangdong province, the president of local Fuaijia hospital has been detained on suspicion of illegally issuing birth certificates on Sunday, Guangzhou-based Metropolis Daily reported.

The hospital's department of gynecology and obstetrics has also been closed for further investigation after the hospital was investigated for illegally selling a birth certificate at a price of 120,000 yuan ($17,142.86), including a complete set of authentic hospitalization and production records, according to the report.

Health departments from Foshan city and the city's Chancheng districts have joined hands with local police to establish a special task force to investigate the case further, the report said.

In Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the responsible persons of Chenghe hospital have been taken criminal coercive measures for illegally selling birth certificates on Sunday, a China news service report said.

The hospital's department of gynecology and obstetrics has been ordered to suspend business for further investigation and improvement, it said.