Society
Three penalized after 11 contract hepatitis C
Updated: 2010-05-18 22:32
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HOHHOT: Three hospital officials have been penalized after 11 kidney patients were infected with hepatitis C after they received dialysis at a hospital in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, local health authorities said Tuesday.
President of the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Wulate Front Banner was removed from his post and two deputy presidents of the hospital received administrative penalties, said a spokesman with the Bayannur City Health Department.
According to the spokesman, the hospital had treated 60 kidney patients with dialysis since 2002. But 11 patients have been diagnosed with hepatitis C since July 2009, when the hospital began hepatitis screening tests for its dialysis patients.
The regional health department said the disease was spread through dialysis at the hospital.
Authorities received a report and launched an investigation in April 2010.
Hepatitis C is a potentially life-threatening form of viral infection that can cause permanent liver damage.
Since 2009, similar hepatitis C infections have been reported in Anhui, Shanxi, Zhejiang and Gansu provinces.
