Doctors and medical staff at Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital were summoned for questioning in connection with a corruption probe over procurement irregularities, with 14 people released after posting bail yesterday.
In a broadening investigation following the opening of the case last month, prosecutors on Monday summoned 19 people, including 11 doctors at the hospital, over allegations that they received monthly kickbacks totaling NT$5.17 million (US$170,290) from pharmaceutical companies.
Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, managed by the Ministry of National Defense’s Medical Affairs Bureau, is the largest military hospital in southern Taiwan and it mainly serves retired and active-duty military personnel and their dependents.
Photo: Huang Chien-hua, Taipei Times
The investigation is being led by Ke Kuang-hui (葛光輝), the head prosecutor in charge of corruption investigations at the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors’ Office.
Ke and prosecutor Lu Chien-hsing (呂建興) had received reports of financial irregularities in the hospital’s procurement program, some of which alleged that staff and doctors had received kickbacks, and last month they opened an investigation.
The chief of the hospital’s pharmacy department, surnamed Tu (杜), was detained and was waiting to be charged with involvement in the case.
The probe this week shifted its focus to two other key figures — the head of the hospital’s Clinical Pharmacy Service, surnamed Wei (魏), and a section chief surnamed Chang (張) — who were in charge of procurement of pharmaceutical drugs and medical supplies, prosecutors said.
Wei and Chang prepared detailed lists of the medicines required on a monthly basis by each of the hospital’s departments and provided it to pharmaceutical sales agents, Ke said.
The evidence indicates that the sales agents received a percentage of the sales as commission, while the pharmaceutical firms paid doctors monthly kickbacks from NT$1,000 to NT$120,000, depending on the amount and price of drugs prescribed to patients, prosecutors said.
At least 11 doctors received kickbacks totaling NT$5.17 million by colluding with Wei and Chen between January 2014 and May, when the reports began to emerge and the judiciary started its probe, Ke said.
In raids on Monday, a total of NT$500,000 of cash was found in the car and office of two doctors at the hospital, which prosecutors said were kickbacks from sales agents.
Of the 19 people summoned for questioning, five were released yesterday, while 14 were listed as suspects and granted release after posting bail of between NT$30,000 and NT$500,000.
Prosecutors said they planned to press charges for corruption and the leaking of classified information, and did not rule out taking further action in the case.
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