Chinese hospitals told to suspend operations after deaths linked to strict Covid-19 rules

The treatment of a woman who had a miscarriage and a man who died of a heart attack has sparked public outrage and disciplinary action

Xian Gaoxin Hospital and Xian International Medical Centre have been ordered to close temporarily and review their operations

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Staff at Xian Gaoxin Hospital have been suspended or dismissed and it and one other hospital in the city have been ordered to suspend operations. Photo: Weibo

Published: 9:00pm, 13 Jan 2022Updated: 11:10pm, 13 Jan 2022

Two hospitals in Xian involved in recent scandals while under Covid-19 lockdown – resulting in a death and a miscarriage – have been ordered to close temporarily and review their operations.

There has been public outrage in China after Xian Gaoxin Hospital denied access to an eight-month pregnant woman, resulting in her miscarriage, and Xian International Medical Centre refused to admit a man who subsequently died of a heart attack.

Earlier this month the woman’s admission to hospital was delayed because it insisted on seeing a negative Covid-19 test result, which she could not show in time, and the man was refused admission because he lived in an area deemed a risk for coronavirus infection.

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The two hospitals will suspend operations for three months from Thursday because of their delay in the “rescue and treatment of patients with acute and critical illnesses”, Xian health authorities said. A working plan has since been issued to help manage the shortage of medical resources caused by the suspensions.

The manager of Xian Gaoxin Hospital was suspended and staff in charge of the outpatient, obstetrics and medical departments were dismissed. At Xian International Medical Centre the managing director was fired and the hospital’s deputy director and the head nurse of the outpatient department were suspended, according to the announcement.

Since early January, the city has used disciplinary action to hold local officials accountable for their epidemic controls: warnings were issued to two top officials in Xian Emergency Centre and its municipal health commission, Xian’s big data chief was suspended and two district-level officials were dismissed from their posts.

According to local media, at least 31 government officials have faced disciplinary action, including suspension, dismissal or warnings since last month.

Chinese hospitals told to suspend operations after deaths linked to strict Covid-19 rules

The treatment of a woman who had a miscarriage and a man who died of a heart attack has sparked public outrage and disciplinary action Xian Gaoxin Hospital and Xian International Medical Centre have been ordered to close temporarily and review their operations

The treatment of a woman who had a miscarriage and a man who died of a heart attack has sparked public outrage and disciplinary action

Xian Gaoxin Hospital and Xian International Medical Centre have been ordered to close temporarily and review their operations