BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- China in 2005 punished 1,248 health workers for illegal deals including taking commission from drug trade and operations, according to a discipline official here Saturday.

    Last year, the country's health authorities probed 216 cases of illegal buying and selling medicines by health workers, of which 179 were handed over to judiciary departments, said Li Xi, head of the discipline inspection team in the Ministry of Health dispatched by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

    The cases involved 10.99 million yuan (1.34 million U.S. dollars) and 282 people got punishment, said Li at a discipline meeting attended by health officials nationwide.

    Meanwhile, 142 health workers were punished in 178 cases last year for taking commission from patients for doing surgical operations, and 824 people got punishment in 431 cases of charging illegal medical fees, with 3.99 million yuan (487,000 U.S. dollars) involved, he revealed.

    Most Chinese health workers are doing a good job, dedicating themselves in saving people's lives and fighting diseases, but some health workers become corrupted and neglect their duties, who should be punished without mercy, said Health Minister Gao Qiang at the meeting.

    This year, the key anti-corruption work in the health sector includes curbing behaviors which affect public interests, cracking down on briberies and regulating the use of power of health officials, according to the meeting.

    The Ministry of Health is going to set up a leading team and work out plans in fighting briberies in the health sector, such as taking commission from drug trade, said Li.

    The Party leaders at all levels in the health departments should give support to discipline inspection staff, and help them solve problems in their work, said Gao. Enditem