The brewing tea-for-urine scandal

No shortage of nice stories these days. I have not yet blogged about the tea-for-urine scandal that emerged in the hospitals in Hangzhou, but could have happened everywhere in China. Investigating reporters handed in ten tea samples in stead of urine for testing in ten Hangzhou hospitals. Five got the advised to take a rather expensive treatment for an ailment they did not have.
"Patients have become the ATM-machines for the hospitals," the Southern Metropolis Daily commented.
That is of course no news: the health care is badly organized in China. Doctors get a too much salary, so they are inclined to make money on the sales of medicine and expensive treatments. Of course the doctors and the hospitals are to blame, but also the government seems to be unable to deal with this rather key industry in many people's lives.
This is going to have a long tail too. No wonder in some cities medical staff has to wear protective helmets against angry patients and their families.