Crackdown to strengthen after fatal stabbing of doctor

After a doctor in East China was stabbed to death at work on Friday, China's top health authority said on Saturday that it has joined public security efforts to strengthen a crackdown on medical-related crimes and has urged hospitals to implement security measures.

Li Sheng, a cardiologist at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, was attacked by a knife-wielding man around noon Friday when seeing patients and died that evening due to critical injuries.

The man who carried out the attack jumped off the building, the hospital and police said. Police said late on Friday that the attacker was receiving treatment but have not provided any subsequent updates on his condition.

The National Health Commission expressed deep condolences for Li's death and extended its sympathies to his family in a statement released on Saturday night.

The commission said it strongly condemns violence against medical personnel and pledges a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of harm to them.

It stressed that attacking medical personnel is a serious criminal act.

"The commission has worked with the Ministry of Public Security to guide localities to improve hospital security and severely crack down on medical-related crimes to protect the safety of patients and medical staff," it said.

The commission added that hospitals should strengthen security systems, fully implement security measures and deepen collaboration with police.

The Chinese Medical Doctor Association said on Saturday afternoon that it was deeply shocked and saddened by the incident.

The association reiterated its unwavering commitment to defending the dignity of healthcare workers and condemning violence against them.

It urged authorities to take effective measures to ensure the safety of medical personnel and called on the whole of society to work together to create a harmonious and orderly healthcare environment.

The association added that it has initiated a physician rights protection and assistance program and provided support to Li's family.

The incident has drawn a wave of condolences and condemnation from the public and authorities. The National Healthcare Security Administration and the Chinese Hospital Association also released statements expressing outrage at the violence and appealing for better protection of medical workers and a harmonious healthcare environment.

The strengthening of protection of doctors and the rolling out of tougher security measures at hospitals have long been a societal consensus, with reports of assaults against doctors drawing widespread attention and outrage.

The Basic Healthcare and Health Promotion Law, which took effect in June 2020, stipulates that the personal safety and dignity of healthcare personnel shall not be infringed upon, and their legitimate rights and interests shall be protected by law.

Any organization or individual is prohibited from threatening or endangering the personal safety of healthcare personnel or violating their dignity, it says.

In July 2020, Beijing's municipal government adopted a guideline for hospital security that mandates checks at entrances and the installation of surveillance cameras inside hospitals.

A guideline released by the National Health Commission in September 2021 says that public security authorities should set up police offices at major hospitals.

Hospitals with a daily outpatient volume of more than 5,000 visits or more than 1,000 beds should enforce security checks at entrances to prevent visitors from bringing in knives, explosives or other dangerous items.

Yang Zekun contributed to this story.