Medical workers punished

A total of 1,615 workers at health institutions were given Party or administrative punishments last year for various wrongdoings, the Ministry of Health said on its website yesterday.

Some 1,551 cases, up 50 percent on 2007, involving more than 10 million yuan ($1.5 million), down 60 percent, were handled, it said.

A total of 388 people were given Party and administrative punishments, and 178 faced criminal charges for accepting bribes related to the purchase of pharmaceuticals.