Another four hospital executives were detained yesterday on suspicion of accepting bribes as a high-profile procurement scandal involving the nation’s public hospitals continued to snowball.
The latest detentions brought the total number of hospital officials who have been taken into custody since March by prosecutors investigating hospital corruption to nine.
The latest detainees include Chung Wei-sheng (鐘威昇), superintendent of the the Department of Health’s Chest Hospital in Greater Tainan, and Tang Kao-chun (唐高駿), superintendent of National Yang-Ming University Hospital in Taipei City.
The other two are Lin Chi-min (林繼敏), director of cardiology at the department’s Keelung Hospital, and Chen Shih-chung (陳識中), -director of cardiology at New Taipei City Hospital.
The detentions followed major raids launched on Thursday by the Taoyuan District Prosecutors’ Office in which 17 suspects and witnesses were summoned for questioning.
With the exception of the four officials, all the others were released after questioning, including Li Nai-shu (李乃樞), superintendent of Lo-Sheng Sanatorium, who was released on NT$100,000 bail.
Thursday’s raids were the third in a series taken since March to probe procurement irregularities at some public hospitals between 2003 and last year, in which executives are alleged to have accepted bribes from medical equipment suppliers in return for favoring these suppliers during the procurement process.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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